A 70-year-old woman comes to the office due to progressive memory impairment. This symptom was satrarted a year ago and her symptoms have steadily worsened. She often forgets the content of conversations she has with her son and frequently walks to another room, only to forget what she went there to do. The patient lives alone and has no difficulty cooking, cleaning, or otherwise caring for herself. She manages her own finances. Medical history is significant for hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and type 2 diabetes mellitus. Temperature is 36.9 C (98.4 F), blood pressure is 132/83 mm Hg, pulse is 72/min, and respirations are 14/min. The patient is alert and oriented. Neurological examination reveals no focal deficits. She scores 22/30 on the Montreal Cognitive Assessment. Which of the following is the most likely diagnosis?

Question

A 70-year-old woman comes to the office due to progressive memory impairment.  This symptom was satrarted a year ago and her symptoms have steadily worsened.  She often forgets the content of conversations she has with her son and frequently walks to another room, only to forget what she went there to do.  The patient lives alone and has no difficulty cooking, cleaning, or otherwise caring for herself.  She manages her own finances.  Medical history is significant for hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and type 2 diabetes mellitus.  Temperature is 36.9 C (98.4 F), blood pressure is 132/83 mm Hg, pulse is 72/min, and respirations are 14/min.  The patient is alert and oriented.  Neurological examination reveals no focal deficits.  She scores 22/30 on the Montreal Cognitive Assessment.  Which of the following is the most likely diagnosis?

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Eductional Objective: Mild cognitive impairment is diagnosed when cognitive decline is present but activities of daily living (eg, bathing, preparing meals, managing finances) are preserved.  In contrast, dementia is diagnosed when cognitive decline interferes with activities of daily living.

A 70-Year-Old Woman Comes to the Office Due to Progressive