title: Ruptured intracranial aneurysms in the elderly: epidemiology, diagnosis, and management.
abstract: Spontaneous subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) is often a devastating condition and a significant cause of worldwide morbidity and mortality. Because the percentage of senior citizens is increasing in many countries and because of the increased incidence of SAH in elderly patients, ruptured intracranial aneurysm is an increasingly frequent pathology in western countries. Twenty years ago, older people were considered to have such a poor prognosis that they were frequently excluded from active treatment on the unique basis of their advanced age. Improving results published in recent studies showed that the classic fatalistic attitude associated with age and intracranial aneurysm (IA) should be reconsidered. Therefore, because of improvements in surgical results and neuro-intensive care, the appearance of interventional neuroradiology, and more aggressive rehabilitation programs, the management of ruptured IA in the elderly is changing. This article aims to review epidemiology, emphasize the specific aspects of the disease in the elderly, and present the current management of SAH in an elderly population.
authors.affiliation: Unité de Neuroradiologie Interventionnelle, CHU Nice, France, CHU Nice, France. jsedat@yahoo.fr
authors.forename: Jacques
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sedat
authors.forename: Mustapha
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dib
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Rasendrarijao
authors.forename: Denys
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Fontaine
authors.forename: Michel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lonjon
authors.forename: Philippe
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Paquis
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D017542:Aneurysm, Ruptured / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D002532:Intracranial Aneurysm / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D012737:Sex Factors; D013345:Subarachnoid Hemorrhage / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*