[Clinical practice guideline: a complete geriatric evaluation]

The care of elderly patients requires an evaluation that deserves a host of special considerations, such as biological aspects of aging, those related to activities of daily living and functionality, neuro-psychological conceptions, family dynamics and economic conditions. The growth of the aging population in our country is accompanied by an increase in chronic diseases and more individuals have greater vulnerability, requiring a more consumption of resources because of the high demand for services. This requires the incorporation of specialized care in the institutional system, which has caused serious consequences in the current health system, benefiting specialization and technology, but with a loss of an integrated and horizontal view of the patient. Therefore it is necessary to develop a practical tool that allows the family physician to identify and differentiate the geriatric population that requires specialized care from who does not, identifying problems that may improve and allow the design of strategies to improve health status and maintain functional autonomy of the elderly. Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment (CGA) is a fundamental tool for clinical practice of any medical care to the elderly.