Optimal investigation of the elderly and very elderly patient with atrial fibrillation--what must be done?
The investigation of atrial fibrillation should be tailored to match the needs of the patient. Those needs may differ between younger and older patients. While many different investigations might be used, the emphasis in this review will be on what must be done. It should be remembered that rigid protocols cannot be presented, however, because many of these important issues have not been subjected to critical scrutiny in elderly cohorts.
Vlietstra
Ronald E
RE
Watson Clinic, Lakeland, FL 33803, USA. rvliet@att.net
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000175:diagnosis*; D001774:Blood Chemical Analysis; D015150:Echocardiography, Doppler / Q000379:methods; D004562:Electrocardiography / Q000379:methods; D015716:Electrocardiography, Ambulatory; D005260:Female; D015577:Geriatric Assessment; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010808:Physical Examination; D011787:Quality of Health Care; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity