PMID: 9540778Apr 16, 1998Paper

Morphological and functional aspects of the cardiovascular system related to aging: does "aging heart" exist?

Minerva medica
D Cafagna, E Ponte

Abstract

Elderly people are the most rapid growing segment of society, and heart disease is the most common cause of death in this population. The aging process is associated with anatomic and physiologic alterations in the cardiovascular system; consequently, the manifestations of disease in the geriatric population differ from those involving younger patients. To formulate diagnosis of "aging heart" in older patient may be difficult, because of atypical symptoms or of the acceptance of symptoms as manifestations of old age. Aging is, moreover, often associated with a decline in physical activity, which may result in cardiovascular "deconditioning". The treatment strategy is the same as in younger patients, but the higher incidence of adverse effects and complications demands special awareness. In this article we discuss about age-related structural and functional changes that occur in the cardiovascular system, including changes in the heart muscle, valves, conduction system and major arteries.

Related Concepts

Related Feeds

Atrial Fibrillation

Atrial fibrillation is a common arrhythmia that is associated with substantial morbidity and mortality, particularly due to stroke and thromboembolism. Here is the latest research.

Arrhythmia

Arrhythmias are abnormalities in heart rhythms, which can be either too fast or too slow. They can result from abnormalities of the initiation of an impulse or impulse conduction or a combination of both. Here is the latest research on arrhythmias.

Cardiac Conduction System

The cardiac conduction system is a specialized tract of myocardial cells responsible for maintaining normal cardiac rhythm. Discover the latest research on the cardiac conduction system here.

Related Papers

Heart & Lung : the Journal of Critical Care
B K Valle, L Lemberg
The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews
N A de MortonK Jeffs
© 2022 Meta ULC. All rights reserved