*WHY MENTAL CONFUSION BEYOND 60 ???* Causes of: MENTAL CONFUSION IN THE THIRD AGE By: Arnaldo Liechtenstein, physician. Whenever I teach clinical medicine to students in the fourth year of medicine, I ask the following question: What are the causes of mental confusion in the elderly? Some offer: "Tumors in the head". I answer: No! Others suggest: "Early symptoms of Alzheimer's". I answer again: No! With each rejection of their answers, their responses dry up. And they are even more open-mouthed when I list the three most common causes: - uncontrolled diabetes; - urinary infection; - dehydration It may sound like a joke, but it isn't. People over 60 constantly stop feeling thirsty and consequently stop drinking fluids. When no one is around to remind them to drink fluids, they quickly dehydrate. Dehydration is severe and affects the entire body. It may cause abrupt mental confusion, a drop in blood pressure, increased heart palpitations, angina (che
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