The Impact of Aging Physiology in Critical Care

Managing the aging critically ill patient is highly complex and necessitates a comprehensive understanding of the normal physiologic changes that occur with aging. Age alone should not be considered a primary factor in the prognosis of critically ill patients. The practitioner must take comorbidities and functional disabilities into account, along with quality of life and the likelihood of recovery when determining care modalities in the geriatric population. All factors regarding the aging patient's plan of care, prognosis, and predicted quality of life should be openly and honestly discussed with patients and/or their families to ensure all decisions regarding care are fully informed. Future research surrounding the care of the older critically ill patient should include a comprehensive study of the impact of aging on diagnosis and treatment modalities that impact the underlying mechanisms of aging. Additional studies focusing specifically on the effects of aging and the critically ill patient are needed to add to this body of knowledge. In particular, the incorporation of evidence-based practice and nurse-driven protocols may have a positive impact on the care and outcome of these patients.