Management of acute myocardial infarction in the very elderly.
Coronary artery disease is highly prevalent among the elderly, and the incidence of myocardial infarction (MI) is high. Still, the notion of optimal treatment for the elderly patient with MI remains unclear. This review will first discuss some of the characteristics of the aging myocardium that impact on the care of elderly cardiac patients. Next, the therapeutic options and their appropriateness for the aged patient are presented. Thrombolytic and beta-blocker therapies are reviewed extensively since they remain among the controversial issues in geriatric cardiology. Other well-known as well as experimental therapies are also discussed.
Forman
D E
DE
Charles A. Dana Research Institute, Boston, Massachusetts.
Bernal
J L
JL
Wei
J Y
JY
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*