[Too old or too frail for intensive care?].

What are the criteria for admitting an elderly polymorbid patient to intensive care ? The multidimensional geriatric evaluation is a tool to screen for geriatric syndromes, with the division of elderly patients into 3 categories: robust, vulnerable and dependent. Targeting certain co-morbidities such as cognitive disorders, delirium, frailty, polymedication and malnutrition, allows clinicians to estimate the risks of mortality and functional and cognitive handicaps during a stay in intensive care. Based on a review of the literature, this article offers some guidelines for triage of older patients for admission to intensive care, using an ethical, multidisciplinary approach that takes into account the patient's fears and preferences.