Trauma and falls in the elderly

Abstract

The number of people living longer and staying active continues to rise, resulting in an increase in the incidence of trauma-related vis-its by older persons to emergency departments. The elderly sustain a disproportionate share of fractures and serious injury, and represent a unique subset of patients with special needs and considerations. This article reviews the current literature on the management of elderly patients with trauma, including the physiologic changes of aging relevant to the management of trauma, injury patterns unique to geriatric victims of trauma, and aspects particular to resuscitation and general management of geriatric trauma victims. We include a discussion of the evaluation and management of falls in the elderly, including assessment of fall risk.