Anesthetic Pitfalls in the Elderly Patient

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Abstract
Although anesthesiology has many subspecialties, only recently have anesthesiologists begun to organize the subspecialty of geriatric anesthesiology. The need for increased emphasis on geriatric anesthesia is best illustrated by considering the rapid growth in the aging population and the expected growth of workload in specific surgical subspecialties over the next 2 decades ( Fig. 1). 1 Etzioni D.A. Liu J.H. Maggard M.A. Ko C.Y. The aging population and its impact on the surgery workforce. Ann Surg. 2003; 238 : 170-177 Crossref PubMed Scopus (518) Google Scholar Perhaps the reason for the delayed emergence of geriatric anesthesiology is that most anesthesiologists routinely provide anesthesia for operations in elderly, frail patients. In discussing anesthesia for elderly patients, I will use the conventional cut-off age of 65, but acknowledge that the physiology of vigorous older patients more closely resembles that of younger patients. Figure 1 Over the next 15 years, the percentage of persons 65 years of age or older will increase more rapidly than any other age group. (Reprinted from: Etzioni DA, Liu JH, Maggard MA, Ko CY. The aging population and its impact on the surgery workforce. Ann Surg 2003;238:170–177, with permission. 1 Etzioni D.A. Liu J.H. Maggard M.A. Ko C.Y. The aging population and its impact on the surgery workforce. Ann Surg. 2003; 238 : 170-177 Crossref PubMed Scopus (518) Google Scholar ) View Large Image Figure Viewer Download (PPT)