Cleveland Clinic journal of medicine
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The impact of COVID-19 varies by age group, and it has become clear that individuals over 65 years are disproportionately impacted by COVID-19 both in terms of severity of illness and mortality. Atypical presentations in older adults may result from pathophysiologic changes during aging and immune dysregulation because of the cumulative impact of chronic comorbidities. Herein we review the different clinical presentations of illness for older adults, the unique challenges faced by this population, and strategies for treatment.
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Physicians in the intensive care unit face a myriad of ethical dilemmas involving end-of-life care, yet they receive only minimal training about their jurisprudential obligations, and misconceptions about legal responsibilities abound. In particular, significant uncertainty exists among critical care physicians as to ethical and legal obligations for terminally ill patients. This paper presents 3 hypothetical cases to elucidate the medical, ethical, and legal considerations in common end-of-life situations encountered in the intensive care unit.