The Ewha Medical Journal
Ewha Womans University School of Medicine
Original Article
Evaluation of Preoperative Pulmonary Gas Exchanges in the Elderly Patients Over the Age of 65
Guie-Young Lee
Published Online: Jul 24, 2015
Abstract
Objectives
As the number of elderly people rises, the incidence of surgery in elderly patients would become higher. This study was undertaken to examine the changes in pulmonary gas exchange that occurs with advancing age.
Methods
Arterial blood gases were analysed in 106 elderly patients over the age of 65 and 40 adult patients(control group) during breathing of room air preoperatively. Alveolar oxygen partial pressure(PAO2), alveolar-arterial partial pressure gradient for oxygen(AaDO2), arterial/alveolar oxygen partial pressure(a/A) ratio were calculated using PaO2 and PaCO2 and PAO2 and measured the relationship between the PaO2 and age.
Keywords: Elderly; Gas exchange; Oxygen