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Coronary artery disease in the elderly.
Annals of the Academy of Medicine, Singapore
|January 1, 1987
Summary
Mortality from ischaemic heart disease is rising in Singapore, unlike in Western countries. Elderly patients with heart disease and hypertension require careful drug management due to increased sensitivity and atypical symptoms.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Geriatrics
- Public Health
Background:
- Ischaemic heart disease (IHD) mortality has decreased in Western nations but risen in Singapore.
- Hypertension is highly prevalent in Singapore, affecting 14% of adults aged 20+.
- IHD and hypertension significantly increase with age, impacting elderly populations (65+).
Purpose of the Study:
- To highlight the contrasting trends in IHD mortality between Western countries and Singapore.
- To underscore the challenges in managing IHD and hypertension in the elderly.
- To emphasize the need for careful pharmacological management in older adults.
Main Methods:
- Comparative analysis of IHD mortality trends.
- Prevalence data for hypertension in Singapore.
- Review of clinical presentation and management considerations for IHD in the elderly.
Main Results:
- Significant decline in IHD mortality in the US and Western countries over 25 years.
- Steady increase in IHD mortality in Singapore during the same period.
- Elderly patients exhibit atypical IHD symptoms and heightened drug sensitivity.
Conclusions:
- The differing epidemiological trends of IHD in Singapore warrant further investigation.
- Specialized approaches are necessary for diagnosing and treating IHD in elderly patients.
- Pharmacological interventions for IHD and hypertension in the elderly require cautious dosing and close monitoring for adverse effects.