Anesthesia and Aging Population: Challenges and Some Considerations Related to Geriatric Patients
1Dr. Asad Khan, 2Dr. Ahmed Haroon, 3Muhammad Aslam, 4Dr. Zamin Abbas, 5Dr. Marwa Riaz, 6Dr. Khizer Javed butt
Submission: 11 February 2026 | Acceptance: 07 March 2026 | Publication: 03 April 2026
1Assistant professor Anesthesia department Last degree fcps Hayatabad medical complex/Khyber girls medical college Peshawar pakistan.
2PIMS Islamabad
3Mohi-ud-Din Islamic medical college, Mirpur AJKAbstract
4Service Hospital, Lahore
5Sir Gangaran Hospital, Lahore
6Allied Hospital, Faisalabad
Background
The balanced increase in the mature population has led to a frequent rise in the number of geriatric patients requires surgical intercede. The interaction between aging physiology, chronic comorbidities, and the pharmacological effects of anesthetic agents may represent crucial challenges for perioperative management.
Objectives
This study aims to inspect the challenges anesthesiologists countenance in managing older patients, highlighted some physiological adjustment, pharmaco-kinetic and pharmaco-dynamic changes, comorbidities, reasonable risks, and terms for optimizing per surgical care.
Methods
A complete literature research was conducted across multiple databases includes PubMed, MEDLINE, Cochrane Library etc. which focus on studies from 2001 to 2023.
Results
Main findings indicate frequent changes in cardiovascular, respiratory, renal, hepatic, and other central nervous systems in older patients, demand in careful adjustment of anesthetic techniques and drug dosages. Poly-pharmacy and multi-morbidity may further complicate management. In addition, older patients are at increased risk for post-operative complications includes delirium, cognitive dysfunction, cardiovascular events, and long-term recovery.
Conclusion
Anesthetic care in elderly surgical patients requires individualized, multidisciplinary approaches, incorporating comprehensive preoperative assessments, careful intraoperative monitoring, and vigilant postoperative care. Advances in geriatric anesthesiology must continue to evolve to meet the growing needs of this vulnerable population.
Keywords: individualized, elder population, nutrition, aged