Advances in the research of characteristics and treatment of burns in the elderly

With the development of society and the improvement of medical level, the average life span of human has been increasing year by year. The proportion of elderly burn patients is also increasing yearly, which has become a social problem that can not be ignored. Because of physiological characteristics, such as decreased function of heart, lung, and kidney, degenerative changes of neural system, reduced gastrointestinal function and immunological function, and mostly accompanied by primary diseases of diabetes and cardiovascular diseases, elderly burn patients suffer from high shock rate and mortality, and their wounds are not easy to heal. With the purpose of providing ideas for prevention and treatment of elderly burn patients, this review summarizes the physiological characteristics, wound treatment, fluid resuscitation, organ protection, nutrition support, and psychological guidance of elderly burn patients.