[Anesthesia and peri-operative care of the elderly patient]

With raised life expectancy, there is a constant elevation in the percentage of elderly people in the general population. Consequently, the age of the surgical patient increases. This progressive process results in operating on patients who were considered 'too old for surgery' a decade ago. There are many physiological and pathological changes that take place in all body systems during aging. The function capacity of organs deteriorates, resulting in decreased capability to overcome surgical stress. As a result, the elderly surgical patients have higher rates of peri-operative morbidity and mortality. Anesthesia and peri-operative care should be customized to this population. Practicing management of older patients undergoing surgery will increase the experience of all caregivers and, in time, improve outcome.