Hearing Impairment: The Daily PANCE Blueprint
Which of the following best describes the most common type of hearing loss an older adult experiences?
A. Sensorineural with loss of high frequencies
B. Conductive with loss of lower frequencies
C. Sensorineural with loss of low frequencies
D. Conductive with loss of high frequencies
E. All of the above
Answer and topic summary
The answer is A. Sensorineural with loss of high frequencies
Hearing loss is a common problem (with over 30 million U.S. adults having hearing loss). It is most common in older adults (70s and 80s). It can be classified into 3 types: sensorineural (involving inner ear, cochlea, or auditory nerve), conductive, and mixed. The Weber and Rinne tests can be used to help distinguish conductive from sensorineural hearing loss. The most common cause of hearing loss in elderly patients is age-related sensorineural hearing loss (i.e., presbycusis). The cause is often multifactorial (e.g., genetic, aging, oxidative stress, ototoxins, noise, etc). Higher frequencies are typically lost first.
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Smarty PANCE Content Blueprint Review:
Covered under ⇒ PANCE Blueprint EENT ⇒
Also covered under PAEA Pediatric Rotation EOR topic list
