Pulmonary anatomy

Abstract

The elderly pulmonary system requires some specialized understanding. The respiratory system provides the body with oxygen to sustain aerobic metabolic function. Normal aging creates structural changes in the respiratory system that will be reviewed. The chest wall undergoes several physiologic changes as the patient ages. Bone loss, calcification, and kyphotic changes all result in changes in the anatomic alignment of the thorax. Respiratory muscle strength decreases with age and alters pulmonary function. The alteration is exacerbated by age-related comorbidities that alter the pulmonary physiology. The utilization of pulmonary function tests provides practitioners with objective data about lung function and may aid in diagnosis but is more difficult to obtain with accurate results as patients age. The data determined by these tests help health-care providers diagnose and monitor obstructive airway disease. These elderly patients with associated comorbidities and physiologic decline in other organ systems are less tolerant of aggressive treatment options. Option related to neo-adjuvant therapy and treatment regimens for cancer or other disease states may need to be attenuated and modified to patient’s age. However, recent studies have shown improved survival outcomes for aging patients when all appropriate treatment options are considered. Chronologic age alone should not be a determinant of the therapeutic decision in patients with life-threatening diseases.