Anesthesia for the older patient

As a result of advances in both surgery and anesthesia, older patients are candidates for a range of surgical procedures and represent a large proportion of the surgical population. While older age is a risk factor for postoperative complications, there is significant heterogeneity such that age alone does not predict whether an individual will experience a difficult perioperative course. In this chapter we review aging physiology and how it influences anesthetic practice. While evidence for older patients is limited, we present data from studies and national expert panels that should be considered when planning the anesthetic management of an older surgical patient. Postoperatively anesthesiologists should be aware of and participate in interdisciplinary efforts to decrease perioperative morbidity and mortality in elders.