Degenerative, non-atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease in the elderly: a clinico-pathological survey

Cardiovascular disease, the major cause of death in the elderly, is mostly ascribable to complications of coronary atherosclerosis: angina pectoris, myocardial infarction, and sudden death. However, other degenerative diseases involving several cardiac structures exist, and should be distinguished from age-related cardiac changes. Extensive dystrophic calcification determines aortic stenosis, and may affect either a normally tricuspid or a congenitally bicuspid valve. Surgical valve replacement is now a low risk option, even in elderly persons, whereas the efficacy of balloon valvuloplasty is questionable. Aortic incompetence in adults and aged persons is mostly the consequence of aortic tunica media atrophy with anular ectasia, in the setting of nearly normal aortic leaflets. Mitral valve prolapse is the main cause of mitral incompetence; spontaneous cordal rupture is a late complication in the natural history of this disease, thus warranting prompt surgical valve repair or replacement. The entire spectrum of cardiomyopathies is observed in the elderly: dilated, hypertrophic, restrictive, arrhythmogenic. Cardiac amyloidosis is by far the most frequent secondary form and leads to congestive heart failure by impairing ventricular compliance. Idiopathic fibrosis of the specialized AV junction or dystrophic calcification of central fibrous body are the usual substrates of AV block, which requires pace-maker implantation. Nonrheumatic atrial fibrillation, due to fibro-fatty degeneration of the atrial musculature or dilated left atrium, carries a high risk of thromboembolic complications and cerebral accidents; oral anticoagulants have proven to be effective in preventing stroke. Aortic dissecting aneurysm is a spontaneous laceration, and usually a complication of longstanding systemic hypertension; exceptionally, spontaneous dissection may primarily occur in the coronary arteries. In conclusion, longevity at present is mostly threatened by cardiovascular disease, among which the role of degenerative, non-atherosclerotic disorders may be greater than thought.