The Elderly Patient

In recent years anesthesiologists are increasingly becoming aware of “graying” of the patient population in the operating rooms. The United States 2011 census showed that 13.3 % of the total population is above the age of 65 years (the age which typically describes an elderly patient). As per the “Centers of Disease Control USA’s 2009 report, of the 48 million inpatient surgical procedures that were performed, 37.1 % of these were performed on patients 65 years or older. With improving healthcare and increasing life expectancy, these proportions are likely to grow in the future.