title: The echo Doppler spectrum of valvular abnormalities in the hospitalized octogenarian.
abstract: Cardiac valves thicken and become more opaque with advancing age. As more individuals live longer and as more treatment modalities such as valvuloplasty evolve, the presence and significance of these valvular abnormalities become important. We retrospectively studied 628 octogenarian patients to try and define further the presence and significance of these abnormalities detected by Doppler echocardiography. A group of 547 patients were suitable for analysis. Age ranged from 80 to 96 years (mean 84.4). The female:male ratio was 1.9:1. Mitral, aortic, and tricuspid regurgitation (MR, AR, and TR) were significant if the jet moved greater than 2 cm from the plane of the valve away or toward the transducer, depending on transducer position. Mitral regurgitation was detected in 331 patients (60.5%) and was significant in 82 patients (15%). Aortic regurgitation was detected in 276 patients (50.5%) and was significant in 70 patients (12.8%). Tricuspid regurgitation was detected in 131 patients (23.9%) and was significant in 30 patients (5.5%). Regurgitant lesions were detected in two valves in 150 patients (27.4%) three valves in 57 patients (10.4%), in all four valves in 17 patients (3.1%). Aortic stenosis was detected in 160 patients (29.3%). The gradient range was 16-156 mmHg (mean 47.8). Significant aortic stenosis was present in 70 patients (12.8%) (gradient greater than 50 mmHg), of whom 54 had isolated pure aortic stenosis and 16 had mixed lesion. In 40% of these patients, significant aortic stenosis was an unexpected finding at two-dimensional echocardiography. Valvular pathology is common in the octogenarian population.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Albert Einstein Medical Center, Temple University School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19141.
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Zavitsanos
authors.forename: A P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Goldman
authors.forename: M N
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Kotler
authors.forename: S S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Maze
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Kochar
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Parry
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity; D001794:Blood Pressure; D015150:Echocardiography, Doppler; D005260:Female; D006349:Heart Valve Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006351:Heart Valves / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male