[Elderly patients and intensive care: Systematic review and geriatrician's point of view].

The objective of this review is to provide an overview of the literature about the management of elderly patients in intensive care unit and more specifically about epidemiology, admission criteria, mortality, functional prognosis and ethical aspects. We also discuss the data on cardiorespiratory arrest, shock, acute respiratory failure and delirium. The mortality rate of patients over 80 years old in intensive care unit can reach up to 70% at 1year, but is dependent on many factors, such as comorbidities or frailty. Above all, more than half of elderly patients recover their long-term autonomy. Their quality of life is comparable to that of the same age population. Considering that the first 3months after an intensive care unit stay are the most decisive in terms of vital and functional prognosis, we will discuss strategies to improve care through the creation of dedicated intensive care-geriatrics networks. PMID: 28215925 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
Source: Revue de Medecine Interne - Category: Internal Medicine Tags: Rev Med Interne Source Type: research