[Cardiac rehabilitation: beyond 80 year-old?].
The prevalence of heart failure increases with age. Although the benefit of cardiac rehabilitation has been well demonstrated, in particular for what concerns improved effort tolerance, data in the geriatric population is scarce. A supervised inpatient cardiac rehabilitation program has started in September 2004 at the Hôpital de gériatrie in Geneva. By March 2005, 34 out of 50 participants (mean age of 87 years) had completed the program. The results showed a significant increase in the distance walked at the 6-minute test (+ 68,5 m, P<0,001) and a decreased level of anxiety that facilitated the return home. It will be necessary to evaluate the impact of these encouraging results on the readmission rate and on the longterm functional capacity.
Sandu-Marinescu
O
O
Policlinique de gériatrie, Thônex. oana.sandu-marinescu@hcuge.ch
Falconnet
C
C
Saber
H
H
Ellegaard
B
B
Perrenoud
J J
JJ
D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005853:Geriatrics; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D006801:Humans; D016138:Walking