The impact of age and medical comorbidities on the outcome following severe trauma

Older Americans are living longer and are more active than their predecesso rs. The population of older people in this country is expected to continue to increase over the next 20-30 years. This exposes more elderly to the rav ages of traumatic injury. The elderly suffer a disproportionately high morb idity and mortality when compared to their younger counterparts due to the complex changes in physiology associated with aging and medical comorbidity . Physicians caring for the victims of this growing epidemic must have an u nderstanding of the unique and complex challenges these patients provide. T he elderly are not just "older adults." This article examines the physiolog ic changes in the elderly and provides insight and guidelines for treating the oldest victims of trauma.