Search Tag: elderly patients
Pessimism in providing critical care for elderly patients
2019 29 May
A recent study conducted in France investigated the association of age with long-term mortality after discharge from the ICU. Another subset of this discussion relates to the critically ill elderly patients who have higher mortality compared to younger patients as well as longer lengths of stay in the ICU prior to death. There has been a... Read more
LIVES 2017: Did routine admission of elderly patients reduce mortality?
2017 27 Sep
Among critically ill elderly patients in France, a programme to promote systematic intensive care unit (ICU) admission increased ICU use but did not reduce six-month mortality, according to results of the Intensive Care for Elderly-CUB-Réa 2 (ICE-CUB 2) trial published in JAMA to coincide with presentation at the 30th European Society of Intensive... Read more
ICU Admission for the Very Elderly: A Cost Analysis
2017 23 May
Considering the poor clinical outcomes, and that many intensive care unit (ICU) admissions may be undesired by very elderly patients (aged 80 or older), ICU costs in this population are substantial, according to a new study published in the journal Critical Care. "Our finding that a preference for comfort care predicted a lower cost independent of... Read more
Study: Four Predictors Indicate Mortality Risk in Elderly Patients
2016 20 Sep
Four risk factors comprise an easy-to-remember, objective, and practical Risk Scale that has been developed by a group of Canadian researchers to predict mortality risk at time of ICU admission in patients aged over 80. The researchers hope that following validation the Risk Scale can be used to inform decision-making in these patients, and thus close... Read more
Better Outcomes in Elderly but Care Integration Needed
2016 21 Mar
Better Outcomes in Elderly but Care Integration Needed A recent study published in the International Journal of Surgery focuses on challenges the National Health System (NHS) in England face when treating elderly patients in emergency care. Ageing increases the propensity to chronic disease that leads to challenging decision making in... Read more
Treatment of Elderly Cancer Patients
2015 06 Oct
Results from the largest international comparison of the treatment of elderly patients with breast cancer show that significant differences exist in the use of surgery, hormone therapy and chemotherapy between European countries. The European Registration of Cancer Care (EURECCA) study compared the treatment of elderly patients (70 years... Read more
Older Patients Receive Less Evidence-Based Cardiac Care
2015 17 May
Dr. Berglind Libungan’s doctoral thesis at Sahlgrenska Academy explores the topic of older patients and how despite the fact they are more likely to develop acute coronary syndrome than their younger counterparts, they receive less therapy and diagnostic procedures. Previous studies have also shown that older patients receive less evidence-based... Read more
Geriatric Consultations Improve Outcomes for Elderly ER Patients
2015 19 Feb
Patients over the age of 65 who need surgical treatment for traumatic injuries benefit from early consultation with a geriatrician, according to an article in press in the Journal of the American College of Surgeons . Since older patients struggle with different difficulties following traumatic injury, including cognitive functioning, family support... Read more
Smart Bracelets Monitor Elderly Who Live Alone
2015 12 Feb
Wearable devices are not only for tech-savvy young adults. A new smart bracelet can remotely monitor the health of elderly adults in real-time, and can alert health professionals in case of an emergency such as a fall or heart attack. The bracelet was designed by Francisco Lopez-Lira Fennel, the founder of Cualli Software, which hopes to market the... Read more
New Care Model Targets Avoidable Hospitalisations For Frail Elderly
2015 13 Jan
Researchers and clinicians at Indiana University (IU) and the Regenstrief Institute have developed a new model aimed at reducing unnecessary hospital transfers of frail elderly nursing home residents. The model addresses communication between staff members within and between nursing facilities and acute care centres. A study reporting on the first... Read more