Revista Cubana de Medicina Militar (Aug 2020)
Autopsies in elderly deceased
Abstract
Introduction: The World Health Organization promotes a commitment to healthy aging. The autopsy is the most complete method for the study of the diseases and in the elderly deceased their health problems are evidenced. Objective: To show the particularities in ages, sex, chronic diseases, in particular malignant tumors, sepsis and causes of death found in the autopsies of the deceased elderly people. Method: A retrospective, longitudinal study was carried out between the years 1987-2017 of autopsies in elderly deceased. They were grouped by age: advanced age, elderly and long-lived. The variables age, sex, chronic diseases, infection and causes of death were explored. Results: The elderly deceased were more than three quarters of the autopsies in the institution. The female sex showed greater longevity. Hypertension, diabetes and cancer decreased with age, while sepsis increased. Sepsis and thromboembolism were progressively increasing in the direct causes of death, while shock, pulmonary edema and cardiac infarction decreased. In basic causes, cerebral and generalized atherosclerosis increased and coronary atherosclerosis, hypertensive disease and malignant tumors decreased. The clinical - pathology no coincidence, increased slightly with age. Conclusions: There are particularities in the studies of elderly patients evidenced by the results of autopsy, so that geriatrification of services is necessary.
