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Geriatric anesthesiology is an emerging, important area more narrowly focused on the art, science, pharmacology, and physiology pertaining to the elderly surgical population. Geriatric medical care has evolved from an empiric discipline in the 1950s and 1960s to a largely evidence-based practice today. This introductory chapter presents some of the foundational concepts of geriatrics and a general approach to caring for geriatric patients presenting for surgery. The burgeoning elderly population has some very specific implications for anesthesiologists which are outlined in this chapter but covered extensively in more detail throughout the textbook. Finally, the history of geriatric anesthesia and educational concerns and opportunities related specifically to geriatric anesthesia are briefly described. |
