Anesthesia-Related Cognitive Morbidity in the Elderly

Abstract

There is a notable increase in the number of patients over 60 years old treated for anesthesiology services of different hospitals. This is a result of the palpable growth of this population group that present different epidemiological, social and cultural patterns, but with common elements that include: morphophysiological changes characteristic of the aging process, decreased functional capacity and presence of comorbidities. All together, these elements make people in that age range more vulnerable. Among the most cited disorders there are the cognitive and the affective sphere, with devastating consequences since they favor medical complications during hospitalization. They have a direct relationship with perioperative morbidity, poor performance in rehabilitation and higher surgical mortality. This article is aimed at highlighting issues related to brain aging, cognitive impairment and its relation to anesthesia.

Keywords

• trastornos del conocimiento
• cerebro
• envejecimiento
• anestesia