Key role of Doppler echocardiography in the emergency management of elderly patients.
Owing to modern epidemiology in Western countries, ageing represents a growing health burden. In general, because of age itself and comorbid conditions, all clinical cardiovascular manifestations have a higher mortality rate and a worse outcome in older people compared with in younger individuals. Diagnosis of the disease in the elderly in an emergency setting is particularly challenging for the practitioner. Age-related cardiovascular changes and comorbid conditions may alter signs, symptoms and adaptation to the disease and response to treatment. Bedside Doppler echocardiography is likely to play a major role in guiding diagnosis, therapeutic strategies and prognosis. The purpose of this review is to appraise the application of echocardiographic examination in helping the clinician facing emergency situations that involve the cardiovascular system in the older population.
Intensive Cardiology Care Unit, centre hospitalier régional et universitaire, 59037 Lille cedex, France. ennezat@yahoo.com <ennezat@yahoo.com>
Pierre Vladimir
PV
Ennezat
Damien
D
Logeart
Alain
A
Berrebi
André
A
Vincentelli
Sylvestre
S
Maréchaux
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging; D015897:Comorbidity; D015150:Echocardiography, Doppler; D004632:Emergency Medical Services; D005260:Female; D006299:Health Services for the Aged; D054625:Healthcare Disparities; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011379:Prognosis; D055815:Young Adult