title: Anaesthesiological risk assessment in young/adult and elderly dental patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Analysing the differences in number of diseases reported, medicines taken and American Society of Anaesthesiologists (ASA) scores in young/adult and elderly dental patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty-seven young/adult and 47 elderly dental patients living in the community.
  
  
  METHODS
  Private dental practice.
  
  
  METHODS
  Age, number of systemic diseases reported during anamnesis, number of medicines taken, seriousness of pre-existent diseases measured according to the ASA (American Society of Anaesthesiologist) scale.
  
  
  METHODS
  Analytical study.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The differences between young/adult and elderly dental patients as far as self-reported medical conditions, medicines taken and ASA scores were statistically significant (p < 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The number of elderly patients' medical conditions are greater than young/adults'. It is therefore necessary to adequately assess the elderly patient before starting any dental treatment.
authors.affiliation: Genoese Geriatric Group, Genoa, Italy. odontoiatriageriatr@libero.it
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ragonesi
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ivaldi
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000766:Anesthesia, Dental / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003729:Dental Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004363:Drug Utilization; D015577:Geriatric Assessment / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D011379:Prognosis; D018570:Risk Assessment