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What Could Enable A Person To Dress Up And Go Down 17 Flights Of Stairs When They Suffer From Mild Cognitive Impairment, CHF, Weakness, Weight Loss And Nausea?
Question: Hello. My 91 year old father suffers from mild cognitive impairment and was recently diagnosed with congestive heart failure. He has the usual weakness, weight loss and nausea, some fluid swelling and voice has weakened. However he is rather resilient. The other morning he got up early, dressed himself completely, looked for his keys and went down from his 17th floor home somehow and ended up in the stairwell of the garage where he fell and was found by neighbors. After he was taken to the emergency and examined he was sent home without any apparent effects of this unusual incident. He cannot remember how he did it or how the event occurred. And neither could the doctors. How do you think this behavior was possible in his weakened condition? It seems incredible. Thank you.
Brief Answer:
It could be TIA(transient Ischemic attack)
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
As per your description, it seems like he had one episode of something called TIA( transient Ischemic attack). It is nothing but a kind of mini-stroke which resolves within a couple of hours without leaving any residual damage to the brain. It is due to transient blockade of blood supply to the brain due to the minor thrombus( blood clot) that resolve spontaneously.
Generally, no treatment is required, but it is better to take a CT scan of the head to rule out any damage KT brain. Some physician prefers to start anti-platelets like aspirin as a prophylactic measure to prevent further attacks.
The cognitive impairment is quite common in these age group and it might be due to age-related changes or early stages of Alzheimer’s disease.
I suggest you consult a Neurologist for expert opinion and proceed further.
Wishing you all the best.
Thanks
It could be TIA(transient Ischemic attack)
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
As per your description, it seems like he had one episode of something called TIA( transient Ischemic attack). It is nothing but a kind of mini-stroke which resolves within a couple of hours without leaving any residual damage to the brain. It is due to transient blockade of blood supply to the brain due to the minor thrombus( blood clot) that resolve spontaneously.
Generally, no treatment is required, but it is better to take a CT scan of the head to rule out any damage KT brain. Some physician prefers to start anti-platelets like aspirin as a prophylactic measure to prevent further attacks.
The cognitive impairment is quite common in these age group and it might be due to age-related changes or early stages of Alzheimer’s disease.
I suggest you consult a Neurologist for expert opinion and proceed further.
Wishing you all the best.
Thanks
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Arnab Banerjee
Thank you. The strangest thing is that despite his constant weakness and need for assistance and cognitive impairment he was able to dress himself and take the elevator or stairs down to garage where he was found on the floor calling for help without any apparent physical harm. He usually cannot hardly walk around the house without feeling fatigue and yet he proceeded down 17 floors unassisted. We cannot understand how someone so tired could do this...
Brief Answer:
Seems strange to me also.
Detailed Answer:
Thanks for follow up.
Seems strange to me also.
Elderly people may sometimes have slip of mind and he might have done this without knowing the consequences of it.
Seems strange to me also.
Detailed Answer:
Thanks for follow up.
Seems strange to me also.
Elderly people may sometimes have slip of mind and he might have done this without knowing the consequences of it.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Vaishalee Punj
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