title: Invited commentary.
authors.affiliation: Cardiac Surgery Division, Cox 648, Massachusetts General Hospital, 55 Fruit St, Boston, MA 02114, USA. cakins@partners.org
authors.forename: Cary W
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Akins
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D006348:Cardiac Surgical Procedures / Q000401:mortality*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D007432:Intraoperative Period; D057234:Preoperative Period; D012307:Risk Factors; D013021:South Australia / Q000453:epidemiology; D015996:Survival Rate / Q000639:trends; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome