Cardiovascular/Invasive Monitoring

The elderly population in the United States continues to grow. As a result, trauma is no longer a disease of the young, and the older population has become an increasingly larger portion of those requiring hospitalization. However, due to preexisting comorbid diseases and decreases in physiologic reserve, the level of care required for the elderly patient may be somewhat challenging and complex when compared to young patients with similar injuries. The following chapter will discuss cardiovascular issues and management of the elderly as well as various modalities of hemodynamic monitoring to help provide care.