Trauma in the Elderly

Geriatric patients comprise a rapidly expanding age segment of the population of developed countries. It is the fastest growing population segment in the United States. Individuals older than 65 years of age currently represent 13% of the US population, but the US Census Bureau projects that by 2050, they will represent more than 21%. Accidental injurywas the fifthmost frequent cause ofmortality among the elderly in 2009 and 2010, andutilization of traumacare services is expected to increase significantly among older age groups. It is projected that geriatric patients will account for almost 39% of trauma admissions by 2050. Our understanding of best practices in geriatric trauma and anesthesia care continues to expand, as it does in all other areas of medicine.