Ventricular arrhythmias in the elderly.
Ventricular arrhythmias can be challenging because there are several investigational and therapeutic options. The problem is even more challenging in the elderly because ventricular arrhythmias increase with advancing age, as does the prevalence of structural heart disease, including left ventricular hypertrophy. Furthermore, there may be a reluctance to subject elderly patients to invasive diagnostic studies and device therapy. However, although the elderly are at increased risk for procedure-related morbidity and mortality, they benefit as much as their younger counterparts. Selection of pharmacological therapy for the elderly should take altered drug absorption metabolism and excretion into consideration. Finally, beta-blockers tend not to be used as often in the elderly as in younger postmyocardial infarction patients, and the use of beta-blockers should be encouraged in the absence of contraindications.
Thakur
R K
RK
Department of Medicine, University of Western Ontario, London.
D000367:Age Factors; D001145:Arrhythmias, Cardiac / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy; D006352:Heart Ventricles; D006801:Humans; D011379:Prognosis