Why pain must be assessed
- Untreated pain is a critical factor for negative outcomes after surgery (eg, delirium, myocardial stress, worsening of postoperative rehabilitation)
- Unrecognized pain is one of the main reasons for poor perioperative pain control
- Pain and its assessment must be recognized as the fifth vital sign
- Pain is often underreported because of a high prevalence of cognitive impairment and the belief that pain is a normal process of aging
- Pain assessment may be difficult because clinical manifestations are often complex and multifactorial in older adults