Presbycusis seen in patient with?

Appeared in: PGIMER NO - 2020

Explanation

Presbycusis is defined as a progressive, bilateral, sensorineural hearing loss that occurs as a person ages.
It is caused by degenerative changes in the inner ear, specifically the loss of hair cells in the cochlea.
The condition typically manifests as a decreased ability to hear high-frequency sounds, which can make understanding speech difficult, especially in noisy environments.

Option A: This option describes age-related vision loss, not hearing loss.
Option C: This is incorrect because presbycusis is a hearing impairment, not a state of normal vision.
Option D: This option is incorrect because a correct definition is provided in the options.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: Use the key finding related to Definition of Presbycusis to guide bedside assessment, documentation, and the next nursing action.
Recognizing presbycusis is crucial for patient safety and communication. A patient's inability to hear instructions, alarms, or calls for help can lead to adverse events.
Nurses must adapt their communication style by facing the patient, speaking clearly in a lower pitch, and reducing background noise to ensure information is understood.
What if? If a patient with presbycusis also has dementia, they may not be able to report their hearing loss. The nurse must rely on non-verbal cues (e.g., inattentiveness, inappropriate responses, social withdrawal) to identify a potential hearing impairment and adjust care accordingly.

How to Approach the Question

First, identify the key term in the question, which is 'Presbycusis'.
Recall the definition of this medical term. The prefix 'presby-' relates to old age, and '-cusis' relates to hearing.
Evaluate the options based on this definition. 'Old age with hearing loss' directly matches the definition.
Differentiate it from similar-sounding terms. 'Presbyopia' relates to age-related vision loss, which helps eliminate the distractor 'Old age with vision loss'.

Concept Tested & Keywords

Q6Z3x59OTLm9Vys1lSI0Us

E6 Nursing Fundamentals Potter Perry 12e Part 1 p. 209-211

E6 Nursing Fundamentals Taylor p. 930-932

E6 Nursing Brunner Adult Health 3SA Vol 2 Part 1 p. 63-65

Practise the full PGIMER NO - 2020

Attempt every question from this paper in a timed mock, then review the full solution for each one.