This Article  • Full text  • PDF  • Send to a friend  • Save in My Folder  • Save to citation manager  • Permissions  Citing Articles  • Citation map  • Citing articles on HighWire  • Citing articles on Web of Science (11)  • Contact me when this article is cited  Related Content  • Related article  • Similar articles in this journal  Topic Collections  • Aging/ Geriatrics  • Surgical Physiology, Other  • Alert me on articles by topic  Social Bookmarking   What's this?

Andrew E. Luckey, MD; Cyrus J. Parsa, MD

Arch Surg. 2003;138:1055-1060.

Objective  To review the physiological changes in fluid and electrolytes that occur in aging.

Data Sources  Data collected for this review were identified from a MEDLINE database search of the English-language literature. The indexing terms were fluids, intravenous fluids, fluid resuscitation, fluid management, perioperative, electrolytes, aged, elderly, hemodynamics, hyponatremia, hypernatremia, hypocalcemia, hypercalcemia, hypomagnesemia, hypermagnesemia, hypophosphatemia, hypokalemia, and hyperkalemia. Relevant references from articles obtained by means of the above search terms were also used.

Study Selection  All pertinent studies were included. Only articles that were case presentations or did not specifically address the topic were excluded.

Data Synthesis  The fastest-growing segment of the population in the United States is individuals 65 years or older. It is imperative that health care professionals review the physiological changes that manifest during the aging process. Fluids and electrolytes are important perioperative factors that undergo age-related changes. These changes include impaired thirst perception; decreased glomerular filtration rate; alterations in hormone levels, including antidiuretic hormone, atrial natriuretic peptide, and aldosterone; decreased urinary concentrating ability; and limitations in excretion of water, sodium, potassium, and acid.

Conclusions  There are age-related alterations in the homeostatic mechanisms used to maintain electrolyte and water balance. Health care providers must familiarize themselves with these alterations to guide treatment of this growing population.

From the Department of Surgery, University of California, San Francisco–East Bay, Oakland.

CiteULike    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    Twitter     What's this?

RELATED ARTICLE

This Month in Archives of Surgery
Arch Surg. 2003;138(10):1043.
FULL TEXT  

THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES

Potential role of purinergic signaling in lithium-induced nephrogenic diabetes insipidus
Zhang et al.
Am. J. Physiol. Renal Physiol. 2009;296:F1194-F1201.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Changes in Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics in the Elderly Patient
Hutchison and O'Brien
Journal of Pharmacy Practice 2007;20:4-12.
ABSTRACT  

Surgery in the Aged
Organ
Arch Surg 2003;138:1046-1046.
FULL TEXT