Special Considerations of the Elderly Patient Requiring Anesthesia

Abstract

Aging is a complex phenomena involving both anatomical and physiological changes. As the aging, or geriatric population increases we are faced with many of these patients having surgery. The risk of surgery for many elderly patients is complicated by chronic disease processes. It has been reported that more than 100,000 patients over 65 years of age die postoperatively each year. When adequately prepared, elderly patients can tolerate many types of surgery as well as younger patients. The success of these patients’ perioperative experience depends on the knowledge and ex-pertise of the entire perioperative team.