Oncoming tides in the Age(ing) of Aquarius.
The demographic shift in the age of most industrialized countries' populations is profoundly impacting all areas of healthcare, perhaps nowhere more so than critical care. As the proportion of elderly patients increases, so to will our consideration for admission of elderly patients to the intensive care unit (ICU). Whether explicitly acknowledged or not, intensivists routinely debate (both inwardly and outwardly) the benefit, utility, and patient-focused dignity of admitting very elderly patients to the ICU. Despite the apparent increase in demand for, and provision of critical care services to, the elderly, there are few data on the outcomes from these admissions, and how one might predict which elderly patients are most likely to derive benefit from the invasive and resource-intensive services provided in modern ICUs.
Frost
David W
DW
Department of Medicine and Interdepartmental Division of Critical Care Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto M4N 3M5, Canada. david.frost@utoronto.ca
Fowler
Robert
R
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001315:Australia; D003657:Decision Making; D006801:Humans; D007362:Intensive Care Units / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D009520:New Zealand; D010343:Patient Admission / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D018579:Patient Selection; D011157:Population Dynamics