IDEAL PRESURGICAL PREPARATION FOR THE ELDERLY ASTHMATIC

People over 65 years of age constitute an ever-increasing proportion o f patients undergoing operations and are more Likely to suffer pulmona ry complications postoperatively. Elderly patients with pulmonary dise ases such as asthma are at particularly high risk owing to inability t o clear secretions and take a deep breath. Acute asthma attacks and in fection should be treated before patients undergo operations. When the patient is clinically stable, pulmonary function tests and blood gase s are important to assess baseline function and guide preoperative the rapy with bronchodilators and other adjunctive measures designed to de crease postoperative pulmonary complications. This article discusses t he effects of aging and asthma on the lung and how it relates to posto perative pulmonary complications.