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[Cardiac output in patients in their 90's]
Insights
This study measured cardiac output in elderly patients (90-97 years) undergoing surgery. Results indicate a tendency for cardiac index to decrease with advanced age.
Area of Science:
- Geriatric Medicine
- Cardiovascular Physiology
Context:
- Investigating cardiac function in the oldest patient populations is crucial.
- Surgical patients aged 90-97 years were studied prior to anesthesia induction.
Purpose:
- To measure cardiac output and cardiac index in very elderly patients.
- To explore the relationship between cardiac index and advanced age.
Summary:
- Cardiac output averaged 3.58 ± 0.90 L/min and cardiac index averaged 2.72 ± 0.57 L/min/m².
- Measurements were taken using the thermodilution method after patient stabilization.
Impact:
- Findings suggest a trend of decreasing cardiac index with aging.
- Contributes to understanding cardiovascular adaptation in extreme senescence.
Abstract:
Cardiac output was measured by the thermodilution method in nine patients aged 90 to 97 years. The patients were capable of walking in their daily lives before the injury or admission to the hospital, after which they were scheduled for operations. The causes for operations were localized and did not markedly influence general conditions of the patients. After heart rate, arterial blood pressure and mental condition of the patients had been stabilized, their cardiac outputs were determined before the induction of anesthesia. The results are as follows: Cardiac output: 3.58 +/- 0.90 l.min-1, cardiac index: 2.72 +/- 0.57 l.min-1.m-2. Previously published reports in Japan and the results of this study about the relationship between cardiac index and age suggest that as a whole there is a tendency for the cardiac index to decrease with aging.