[Valvular heart diseases in the aged]

A total of 458 cases (11.5%) with valvular heart diseases in the aged (greater than or equal to 60 years) were found among 4,000 consecutive autopsies. They included 204 cases (45%) of aortic regurgitation (AR), 171 cases (37%) of mitral regurgitation (MR), followed by 45 (10%) of aortic stenosis (AS) and 27 cases (6%) of mitral stenosis (MS). As an etiology of the valvular diseases, degenerative type was found in 195 cases (43%), ischemic origin in 91 cases (20%), followed by inflammatory origin such as syphilitic in 51 and infective endocarditis in three, aortitis in two and rheumatic in 49 (11%). Congenital origin was also found in 18 cases (4%). Among various types of valvular diseases in the aged, degenerative AR was most frequently found in 140 cases, followed by MR due to papillary muscle dysfunction in 91 cases. The clinical characteristics in cases with valvular diseases were as follows: atrial fibrillation was prominent in MS; congestive heart failure was found in 60% of cases except those with degenerative AR; cardiac death was frequent in syphilitic and rheumatic AR; association of hypertension was found in 50% of cases with MR and degenerative AR. In this article the characteristics of the valvular heart disease in the aged and additionally its diagnosis and treatment were discussed.