Prehospital Trauma Compendium: Management of Geriatric Trauma Patients - A Position Statement and Resource Document...

Trauma in geriatric patients (traditionally defined as adults aged 65 and older) is associated with high morbidity and mortality. Although older adults have lower average Injury Severity Scores (ISS) than younger patients, their mortality rates are higher. There are multiple hypotheses to explain these disparities; however, there is an incomplete consensus on how to best care for these patients in the prehospital setting. To address this issue, the National Association of Emergency Medical Services Physicians (NAEMSP) conducted a structured, rapid review of the literature to develop evidence-based guidance on the care of geriatric trauma patients in the prehospital setting.