Abstract

GONZALEZ FABIAN, Justo Luis; GOMEZ VIERA, Nelson; GONZALEZ GONZALEZ, Justo Luis  and  MARIN DIAZ, Miguel E.. Cognitive deterioration in the population over 65 at two family physicians' offices of "La Rampa" Polyclinic. Rev Cubana Med Gen Integr [online]. 2006, vol.22, n.3. ISSN 0864-2125.

A descriptive prospective study of 297 patients over 65 that receive attention at the family physicians' offices no 19 and 21, corresponding to "La Rampa" Polyclinic, Plaza de la Revolución, Havana City, was conducted from January 1st trough December 31st, 2003, aimed at identifying the patients with cognitive deterioration and at knowing some of their clinicoepidemiological characteristics. A survey was done with the variables of interest. Folstein's Minimental State was used as a tool to measure cognitive deterioration. The severity degree of the cognitive deficit and the functional disability of the affected patients were also evaluated. To analyze the data, percentages were calculated and the results were presented in tables and in a figure. 41 patients (13.8 %) showed cognitive deterioration. Most of them (24.4 %) corresponded to the age group 85-89. Females were the most affected (68.3 %), whereas 56.1 % of the patients had a low educational level. Arterial hypertension (51.2 %), ischemic heart disease (34.1 %), and smoking (24.4 %) were the most frequent risk factors in the sick with cognitive deficit. Cognitive deterioration was mild in 27 patients (65.8 %), moderate in 8 (19.6 %) and severe in 6 (14.6 %). 12.1 % of those presenting with cognitive deterioration had a severe functional disability, 9.7 % moderate, and 34.4 % mild. The most affected cognitive function was the mediate memory, followed by attention-calculation and language.

Keywords : Cognitive deterioration; dementia; memory; risk factors.