The International journal of neuroscience
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Although aging itself is not a disease, there are many comorbidities that become more common with aging. Heart disease, cancer, and other chronic illnesses are either more common or more severe in aging patients. Approximately 5.5 million people in the United States have Alzheimer's disease (AD), with the principal risk factor being age. ⋯ Similarly, a best practice for the anesthetic management of patients with AD is not yet defined. Finally, the relationship between AD and susceptibility to or exacerbation of postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD) is not well understood. In this review, we will discuss both the clinical and the preclinical data related to anesthesia and AD, describe the overlapping pathophysiology of neurodegeneration and provide some insight into the anesthetic care of patients with AD.