AANA Journal course. Update for nurse anesthetists. Evaluation of older adults

As life expectancy increases, the anesthetic management of older surgical patients has received increased attention. Current estimates suggest that approximately 20% or more of the surgical procedures performed in the United States are on persons 65 years or older, and if current trends continue, the number of older patients requiring anesthesia for surgical procedures is likely to increase. A thorough evaluation is required when planning for the anesthetic management of older adults. Older adults have specific management needs, and these demands continue to pose challenges to anesthesia providers. These challenges relate to the accrual of numerous and diverse anatomic and physiologic changes that occur in older adults throughout the course of aging.