Admitting elderly patients to the ICU: dilemmas and solutions

Since intensive care is expensive and has limited efficacy, its use should be reserved primarily for patients with acute, reversible illnesses. Although age is related to ICU mortality, more important predictors of ICU outcome are severity of the acute illness, the admitting diagnosis, and previous health status. Thus, age should not be the sole factor considered prior to ICU transfer or the initiation or denial of resuscitative efforts. Geriatric physicians should prospectively develop individualized plans for each of their patients based upon the patients' wishes after a discussion of diagnosis, prognosis, and the likely efficacy and side effects of the available treatments.