Is cardiac surgery now a geriatric specialty?

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Geriatric Medicine
• Cardiac Surgery

Background:

• Cardiac surgery is increasingly offered to older patients, driven by increased life expectancy and degenerative cardiac conditions.
• Improvements in surgical outcomes and competition from interventional cardiology in younger demographics also contribute to this trend.
• While no strict definition of 'geriatric' exists, surgical strategies require modification for elderly patients.

Discussion:

• Decision-making, surgical conduct, and postoperative care for elderly patients necessitate tailored approaches.
• Excellent long-term outcomes are achievable in the older population, though potentially at a higher financial cost.
• Despite positive outcomes, a reluctance to consider older patients for cardiac surgery persists in some areas.

Key Insights:

• Adaptation of surgical and postoperative strategies is crucial for successful cardiac surgery in the elderly.
• Long-term positive outcomes are attainable in older cardiac surgery patients.
• Despite evidence supporting geriatric cardiac surgery, a gap remains in its consistent application.

Outlook:

• The provision and range of cardiac surgical services for the elderly are expected to expand.
• Further research may refine geriatric-specific surgical protocols.
• Addressing the reluctance in considering older patients could increase access to life-saving procedures.