Title: Geriatric Patients and the Graying of the Global ED Population<br/>Author: Jon Mark Hirshon<br/><a href='http://umem.org/profiles/faculty/96/'>[Click to email author]</a><hr/><p>
        <em><strong>Background:</strong></em></p>
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                With current medical advances and the adoption of healthier lifestyles, people are living longer.</li>
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                65+ years old is the fastest growing segment of the global population</li>
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                In 1994:
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                                65+ accounted for 13% of the population</li>
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                By 2030:
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                                Developed Countries: 65+ age segment of population will be larger than <65 age in many developed countries</li>
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                                Developing Countries: 75% of elderly will be living in lower and middle income countries with less well-developed health care systems</li>
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</ul>
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        <strong><em>Relevance to the EM Physician:</em></strong></p>
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                <em>Elderly account for 12% to 24% of all ED visits</em></li>
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                <em>Older patients present with a higher level of acuity and generally have more serious medical illness.</em>
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                                <em>Arrive more often by ambulance</em></li>
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                                <em>Higher rates of test use and longer ED stays</em></li>
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                                <em>2.5 to 4.6 times higher risk for hospitalization</em></li>
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                                <em>5-fold higher admission rate to an ICU</em></li>
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                                <em>More likely to be misdiagnosed</em></li>
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                                <em>More frequently discharged with unrecognized / untreated problems.</em></li>
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<fieldset><legend>References</legend>

                <p>
        <strong>University of Maryland Section of Global Emergency Health </strong><strong>Author: Terrence Mulligan DO, MPH</strong></p>
<p>
         </p>
<p>
        Samaras N, Chevalley T, Samaras D, et al.  “Older Patients in the Emergency Department: A Review” <em>Annals of EM</em> Vol 56:3, Sept 2010, p 261-269.</p>
<p>
        WHO Global Burden of Disease. 2010.  <a href="http://www.who.int/healthinfo/global_burden_disease/GBD_report_2010update_full.pdf">www.who.int/healthinfo/global_burden_disease/GBD_report_2010update_full.pdf</a></p>
<p>
        United Nations. “World Population Ageing 1950-2050” 2011.  <a href="http://www.esa.un.org/wpp/">www.esa.un.org/wpp/</a></p>
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