Abstract
Postoperative complications are directly related to poor surgical outcomes in the elderly. This review outlines evidence based quality initiatives focused on decreasing neurologic, cardiac, and pulmonary complications in the elderly surgical patient. Important anesthesia quality initiatives for prevention of delirium, the most common neurologic complication in elderly surgical patients, are outlined. There are few age-specific quality measures aimed at prevention of cardiac and pulmonary complications. However, some recommendations for adults can be applied to the geriatric surgical population. In the future, process measures may provide a more global assessment of quality in the elderly surgical population.
Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Publication types
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Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
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Review
MeSH terms
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Adrenergic beta-Antagonists / therapeutic use
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Aged / physiology*
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Anesthesia / adverse effects
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Case Management
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Comorbidity
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Delirium / prevention & control
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Heart Diseases / prevention & control
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Humans
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Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors / therapeutic use
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Hypnotics and Sedatives / therapeutic use
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Lung Diseases / prevention & control
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Nervous System Diseases / etiology
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Nervous System Diseases / prevention & control
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Pain, Postoperative / therapy
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Postoperative Complications / epidemiology
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Postoperative Complications / prevention & control*
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Quality Control
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Quality Improvement / organization & administration*
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Quality Improvement / trends
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Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic
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Risk Factors
Substances
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Adrenergic beta-Antagonists
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Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors
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Hypnotics and Sedatives