Physiological Features of Aging Persons

Between 1960 and 1994, the population of those 85 years and older in the United States grew 274%. 1 Similarly, the fastest-growing sector of surgical patients older than 65 years is those older than 85 years. 2 These figures are critical because elderly persons have the highest mortality in the adult surgical population (5.8%-6.2% in those >80 years in 500 consecutive patients requiring general or regional anesthesia and 8.4% in those >90 years in 795 in-house operations). 3-5 Why do elderly persons face such high surgical mortality rates? In addition to a higher incidence and prevalence of disease, elderly persons experience baseline physiological changes associated with senescence. 6 it is vital for the modern surgeon to be aware of the physiological changes associated with aging to minimize morbidity and mortality in the aging surgical population.