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Can A Low Grade UTI Cause Speech Loss And Elevated Blood Pressure Levels?
Question: I know UTIs can cause mental confusion in elderly. Went through that with my mother. Low dose prophylactic antibiotic took care of it. My mother in law (age 86) has had 3 instances of brief speech loss in the last year, with no other noticeable symptoms - MRI EKG normal - but spiked high blood pressure and low grade uti. Can a uti cause such a specific symptom as speech loss?
Brief Answer:
Read below.
Detailed Answer:
I read your question carefully and I understand your concern.
In itself urinary tract infection doesn't cause speech loss. However often elderly patients have diminished cognitive functions (language being one of the principal cognitive areas) although not at the point of dementia, their brain although atrophied is able to compensate in normal conditions. These patients though when having to deal with events such as fever or dehydration may not be able to compensate and may cause a temporary worsening which may manifest with confusion and even speech loss. It is a statistical fact that many elderly patients with no previous cognitive impairment can have an acute deterioration when faced with surgical procedures, fever, dehydration, electrolyte disturbances.
The other possibility would be that those episodes are TIA, transient ischemic attacks. However when they are always of an identical nature, with same symptoms, such as her 3 episodes with speech loss, they are usually related to vascular disease and you state her carotid ultrasound to be normal which makes it less likely.
There is also the possibility of emboli originating from the heart to cause the TIAs, an EKG is useful to search for that, but does not exclude a short lasting arhythmia.
One last possibility is blood glucose alterations or electrolyte disturbances, but I assume she already has been checked for those before going one to have more costly tests such as MRI.
I remian at your disposal for other questions.
Read below.
Detailed Answer:
I read your question carefully and I understand your concern.
In itself urinary tract infection doesn't cause speech loss. However often elderly patients have diminished cognitive functions (language being one of the principal cognitive areas) although not at the point of dementia, their brain although atrophied is able to compensate in normal conditions. These patients though when having to deal with events such as fever or dehydration may not be able to compensate and may cause a temporary worsening which may manifest with confusion and even speech loss. It is a statistical fact that many elderly patients with no previous cognitive impairment can have an acute deterioration when faced with surgical procedures, fever, dehydration, electrolyte disturbances.
The other possibility would be that those episodes are TIA, transient ischemic attacks. However when they are always of an identical nature, with same symptoms, such as her 3 episodes with speech loss, they are usually related to vascular disease and you state her carotid ultrasound to be normal which makes it less likely.
There is also the possibility of emboli originating from the heart to cause the TIAs, an EKG is useful to search for that, but does not exclude a short lasting arhythmia.
One last possibility is blood glucose alterations or electrolyte disturbances, but I assume she already has been checked for those before going one to have more costly tests such as MRI.
I remian at your disposal for other questions.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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