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Published on: February 10, 2022

Is cardiac surgery now a geriatric specialty?

Samer A M Nashef1

  • 1Papworth Hospital, Cambridge, UK. sam.nashef@papworth.nhs.uk

Critical Care and Resuscitation : Journal of the Australasian Academy of Critical Care Medicine
|September 5, 2007
PubMed

Insights

Cardiac surgery is increasingly performed on older patients due to improved outcomes and longer life expectancy. Strategies must be adapted for geriatric patients to ensure optimal surgical results and long-term benefits.

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.

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