Normal pressure hydrocephalus frequently misdiagnosed in the elderly

Adult onset normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH) is a frequently misdiagnosed condition in the elderly and symptoms are frequently put down to aging. It is believed that up to 14% of long-term care facilities have the condition but many are undiagnosed or misdiagnosed. An estimated 1 in 20 people diagnosed with Alzheimer's or Parkinson's actually have NPH. Symptoms include a shuffling gait, urinary incontinence, fecal incontinence and dementia. Diagnosis can be done through tests such as MRI or CT scan. Treatment involves surgically implanting a shunt. The procedure carries a risk of infection, hemorrhage or death. 5% of patients undergoing the procedure suffer from complications but 80% receive significant improvement.

Source: summary of medical news story as reported by The Ponca City News

Related Disease Topics:

• Parkinson's disease
• Alzheimer's disease
• Normal pressure hydrocephalus
• Dementia
• Infection
• Hemorrhage
• NPH

Related Symptom Topics:

• Shuffling gait
• Urinary incontinence
• Fecal incontinence
• Dementia

Article Source Details

About: Normal pressure hydrocephalus frequently misdiagnosed in the elderly

Date: 6 February 2005

Source: The Ponca City News

URL: http://www.poncacitynews.com/cgi-bin/LiveIQue.acgi$rec=63197?Lifestyle

Related Medical Topics

This summary article refers to the following medical categories:

• Surgery
• Death from surgery
• Death from NPH
• Death from normal pressure hydrocephalus
• Surgery and NPH
• Surgery and normal pressure hydrocephalus
• Misdiagnosis and Parkinson's disease
• Misdiagnosis and Alzheimer's disease
• Misdiagnosis and normal pressure hydrocephalus
• Misdiagnosis and dementia
• Misdiagnosis and infection
• Misdiagnosis and hemorrhage
• Misdiagnosis and NPH
• Misdiagnosis and shuffling gait
• Misdiagnosis and urinary incontinence
• Misdiagnosis and fecal incontinence
• Misdiagnosis and dementia
• Diagnosis and Parkinson's disease
• Diagnosis and Alzheimer's disease
• Diagnosis and normal pressure hydrocephalus
• Diagnosis and dementia
• Diagnosis and infection
• Diagnosis and hemorrhage
• Diagnosis and NPH
• Diagnosis and shuffling gait
• Diagnosis and urinary incontinence
• Diagnosis and fecal incontinence
• Diagnosis and dementia
• Undiagnosed and Parkinson's disease
• Undiagnosed and Alzheimer's disease
• Undiagnosed and normal pressure hydrocephalus
• Undiagnosed and dementia
• Undiagnosed and infection
• Undiagnosed and hemorrhage
• Undiagnosed and NPH
• Undiagnosed and shuffling gait
• Undiagnosed and urinary incontinence
• Undiagnosed and fecal incontinence
• Undiagnosed and dementia

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