Surgery in the elderly. Lowering risks by understanding special needs.
Elderly patients should be evaluated closely before surgery. Problems commonly found in these patients (ie, hypertension, diabetes, and cardiac and pulmonary disease) should be sought with special care and treated before surgery is undertaken. Also, wound healing may be compromised, drug clearance and metabolism impaired, and nutritional status abnormal. However, if these and other age-related problems are anticipated, surgery is usually successful and recovery uneventful.
Nolan
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Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta 30912-3345.
D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000368:Aged; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D008171:Lung Diseases; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D011300:Preoperative Care; D012307:Risk Factors; D013514:Surgical Procedures, Operative; D014945:Wound Healing
D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones