ICU admission characteristics and mortality rates among elderly and very elderly patients.

ABSTRACT:

Purpose

The effect of advanced age per se versus severity of chronic and acute diseases on the short- and long-term survival of older patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) remains unclear.

Methods

Intensive care unit admissions to the surgical ICU and medical ICU of patients older than 65 years were analyzed. Patients were divided into three age groups: 65-74, 75-84, and 85 and above. The primary endpoints were 28-day and 1-year mortality.

Results

The analysis focused on 7,265 patients above the age of 65, representing 45.7 % of the total ICU population. From the first to third age group there was increased prevalence of heart failure (25.9-40.3 %), cardiac arrhythmia (24.6-43.5 %), and valvular heart disease (7.5-15.8 %). There was reduced prevalence of

SUBMITTER: Fuchs L 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5718912 | biostudies-literature | 2012 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature