There is a decline in most physiological functions with age, independent of disease. The effect of geriatric physiology on anaesthetic drug administration is briefly reviewed.
References
1.
BellvilleJ. W., ForestW. H., and MillerE. (1971): “Influence of age on pain relief.”J.A.M.A., 217, 133, 1835.
2.
BrownT. C. K., and CassN. M. (1971): “The pharmacological basis of drug interactions”, Aust. N.Z. J. Surg., 41, 79.
3.
BrownT. C. K. (1972): Personal communication.
4.
CraigD. B., WahbaW. M., and DonN. (1971): “Airway closure and lung volumes in surgical positions”, Canad. Anaesth. Soc. J., 18, 1, 92.
5.
FazekasJ. F., AlmanR. W., and BessmanA. W. (1952): “Cerebral physiology of the aged”. Am. J. M. Sc., 223, 245.
6.
HarrisonG. A., and JuniusF. (1972): “The effect of circulation time on the neuromuscular action of suxamethonium”, Anaesth. Intens. Care, 1, 33.
7.
LandowneM., and StanleyJ. (1960): Aging—Some Social and Biological Aspects.American Association for Advancement of Science, Washington, ShockN. W., editor, pp. 159–187.
8.
LasagnaL. (1956): “Drug effects as modified by aging”, J. Chronic Dis., 3, 567.
9.
PayneJ. P. (1967): Recent Studies in Oxygenation and Oxygen Therapy. Modern Trends in Anaesthesia, Vol. 3. Butterworths, London, p. 144.
10.
RaineJ. M. (1965): “The influence of age and posture on some aspects of lung function”, Med. J. Aust., 1, 791.
11.
RichardsD. W. (1956): “The aging lung”, Bull. Sew York Acad. Med., 32, 407.
12.
ShockN. W. (1952): Cowdry's Problems of Aging.Williams & Wilkins Co., Baltimore, pp. 415–446.
13.
ShockN. W. (1960): “The biology of aging”, American Institute of Biological Sciences, Washington, 258–264.
14.
ShockN. W. (1961): “Physiological aspects of aging in man”, Ann. Rev. Physiol., 23, 97.