Care of Geriatric Trauma Patients

The older adult population is increasing and with growth in this demographic, there is a rise in the number of geriatric trauma patients requiring care. Older adults with traumatic injuries deserve special attention as their presentation, diagnostic evaluation for traumatic injuries and treatment of said injuries are distinct from that of younger trauma patients.

Geriatric trauma patients have some of the highest rates of morbidity and mortality of all trauma patients. The under-triage of these patients and failure to recognize significant injury patterns is common, in part due to biologic and physiologic changes associated with aging. Although evaluation of these patients at dedicated trauma centers has shown improvement in patient outcomes, such evaluation and treatment must be done in a multidisciplinary fashion. Beyond dedicated trauma physicians, involvement of geriatricians, physical therapists and palliative care specialists has likewise shown improvement in patient morbidity and mortality.

The best care of the geriatric trauma patient requires the recognition of unique injury patterns and treatment approaches in these patients. As such, it is imperative that the emergency medicine physician be familiar with geriatric trauma principles of care.