Geriatric Cardiology Approach

Heart disease is common in older adults and often is present with other chronic conditions. A chronic condition is one that requires treatment by a health care professional for longer than a year. Often, heart disease must be treated in the context of these other conditions because treatment for one may affect the other.

Common heart conditions in older adults include coronary artery disease, atrial fibrillation, aortic stenosis, and heart failure. Each of these conditions is discussed in more detail in other sections of CardioSmart. For each of these conditions, the approach to treatment is tailored to the individual older adult.

For example, if you need to take blood thinners for atrial fibrillation, it is important to consider any history of bleeding. In addition, aging in the liver and kidneys changes how medications affect the older body.

A geriatric cardiology approach to treatment considers the heart in the context of other conditions and your health goals, while prioritizing quality of life.