The World Population Prospects: the 2019 Revision reveals that 1 in 6 people in the world will be aged more than 65 years by 2050. The data also projects that the number of individuals aged 80 years or above will rise from 143 million in 2019 to around 426 million by 2050. Likewise, the World Population Ageing Report 2020 of the UNDESA estimates that the population of people aged 65 years or more will grow from 727 million in 2020 to approximately 1.5 billion by 2050.
The expanding geriatric population will help the point-of-care ultrasound (PoCUS) device market showcase a CAGR of 7.9% during this decade. According to P&S Intelligence, the market revenue stood at $2,186.8 million in 2020, and it will reach $4,546.5 million by 2030. PoCUS devices are used widely on elderly patients because they have more complications and a higher mortality rate as compared to their younger counterparts. For instance, primary-care physicians use these imagers to screen for abnormal aortic aneurysms (AAA) and prostatic enlargement in the elderly.
In this regard, the surging prevalence of chronic diseases will create an enormous requirement for PoCUS devices. The WHO estimates that non-communicable diseases (NCDs) or chronic disorders claim 41 million human lives each year, accounting for around 71% of the global deaths. The organization reveals that cancers, CVDs, diabetes, and respiratory diseases are responsible for nearly 9.6 million, 17.9 million, 1.5 million, and 4.1 million fatalities, respectively, annually.
PoCUS devices are used for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes in cardiology, musculoskeletal, emergency medicine, vascular and urology, and obstetrics and gynecology departments. In the coming years, diagnostic devices will gain higher traction due to the growing prevalence of heart diseases. These devices are being used for cardiac ultrasound for mitral regurgitation, pericardial effusion, left ventricular systolic function, pulmonary edema, pleural effusion, and pneumothorax. Medical professionals use compact/handheld and cart-based/trolley PoCUS devices for such diagnostic applications.
Globally, the European region dominated the point-of-care ultrasound device market in the recent past, and it is expected to maintain the lead in the foreseeable future as well. This can be owed to the growing aging population, expanding prevalence of chronic diseases, escalating healthcare expenditure, and ongoing advancements in technology. According to the European Commission, 20.3% of the people in the EU were aged 65 years or above in 2019. Among EU nations, Italy, Greece, Portugal, Finland, Germany, Bulgaria had the largest share of geriatric citizens in their total populations in 2019.
Thus, the increasing population of elderly people and rising incidence of chronic ailments will encourage the use of PoCUS devices in the forthcoming years.
