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Common cardiovascular issues encountered in geriatric critical care

Kathy A Crispell1

  • 1Section of Cardiology, P3-Cards Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, 3710 Southwest US Veterans Hospital Road, Portland, OR 97207, USA. crispell@ohsu.edu

Critical Care Clinics
|November 7, 2003
PubMed

Insights

Cardiovascular disease (CV disease) is prevalent in older adults, especially in critical care. Treatment decisions for elderly patients require individualized risk-benefit analysis, not solely based on age.

Area of Science:

  • Geriatrics
  • Cardiology
  • Critical Care Medicine

Background:

  • Cardiovascular disease (CV disease) significantly impacts the growing US elderly population.
  • CV disease is frequently a primary or secondary diagnosis in elderly patients requiring critical care.
  • Therapeutic strategies for CV issues in critical care range from conservative medical management to advanced invasive procedures.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review therapeutic options for cardiovascular disease in elderly critical care patients.
  • To emphasize individualized treatment approaches considering patient-specific factors.
  • To highlight special considerations for end-of-life care, cardiac surgery, and ICD management in this demographic.

Main Methods:

  • Review of current therapeutic modalities for cardiovascular disease in critical care.
  • Analysis of factors influencing treatment decisions in elderly patients.
  • Discussion of ethical and practical considerations in advanced cardiovascular care for seniors.

Main Results:

  • Age is not an absolute contraindication for invasive cardiovascular therapies.
  • Individualized risk-benefit assessments, including physiologic age and quality of life, are crucial.
  • Therapeutic goals must be clearly defined for each elderly patient.

Conclusions:

  • Treatment decisions for elderly critical care patients with CV disease necessitate a comprehensive, patient-centered approach.
  • Invasive therapies can be considered based on careful risk-benefit analysis.
  • Special attention to end-of-life care, cardiovascular surgery, and ICD deactivation is vital for this population.

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