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Updated: Jun 22, 2026
09:36
Halogenated Agent Delivery in Porcine Model of Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome via an Intensive Care Unit Type Device
Published on: September 24, 2020
[The respiratory system and the elderly: anesthetic implications.].
Cláudia Regina Fernandes1, Pedro Poso Ruiz Neto
1CET, HUWC, Universidade Federal do Ceará.
Revista Brasileira De Anestesiologia
|May 30, 2009
Summary
Elderly patients face increased respiratory risks after surgery due to aging. Thorough preoperative assessment and tailored anesthetic management are crucial for reducing postoperative pulmonary complications in this population.
Area of Science:
- Geriatric Medicine
- Anesthesiology
- Pulmonology
Context:
- Aging significantly reduces respiratory system functional reserves.
- Elderly individuals undergo increasingly complex surgical procedures.
- Respiratory complications are a leading cause of mortality in elderly surgical patients.
Purpose:
- To review age-related respiratory changes.
- To examine anesthesia-induced alterations in the elderly.
- To emphasize preoperative respiratory evaluation, postoperative complications, and anesthetic management strategies.
Summary:
- Physiologic changes in aging include decreased pulmonary volumes, altered respiratory mechanics, and impaired gas exchange, exacerbated by anesthesia.
- Perioperative pulmonary risks in the elderly necessitate comprehensive preoperative evaluation to assess functional reserves.
- Appropriate anesthetic techniques and postoperative care are vital for managing elderly patients.
Impact:
- Highlights advanced age as an independent risk factor for postoperative pulmonary complications.
- Underscores the importance of a multidisciplinary approach to perioperative respiratory care in the elderly.
- Provides a framework for optimizing anesthetic management and reducing morbidity/mortality in geriatric surgical patients.
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