Heart Attack-Epilogue
Heart Attack-Appendices
Heart Attack-Glossary

Heart Attack- Disclaimer
Heart Attack- Privacy Policy
Heart Attack- Terms of Use
Heart Attack- About Us
Heart Attack- Contact Us
Heart Attack- Sitemap
Heart Attack- Resources

Cardiac Care of adults

Your parents may be in their seventies or eighties. Hypertension, angina, heart attacks, disturbances of heart rhythm and congestive heart failure are not uncommon at this age. Although general principles of heart care are the same as described in the book, some differences do exist. These variations should be known to you before you can give them proper care.

Why variations in care are necessary?
Priorities at this age are somewhat different. The first priority is to ensure, as far as possible, a good quality of life, rather than a mere addition of a few months or years to their life span.

In old age, diseases of other systems like the brain, kidneys, prostate, etc., and cancer are also common, and may interfere with a successful outcome of treatment which may have to be amended accordingly. For the same reason, certain cardiac operations and interventions may not be possible or desirable.

Disease or death of the spouse or a dear and near one may have serious repercussions on the old person’s health by causing psychological imbalance, and may aggravate or precipitate malfunctioning of the heart. It is very necessary for you and your children to provide the surviving parent support and succour.

What are the variations?
In common with other body responses, which are slow, the elderly tend to suppress or minimize their symptoms. Even serious complaints may be mentioned only in the passing or not at all. A pain of heart attack may not be complained of or it maybe actually painless and manifest only as profuse sweating and weakness. You and your doctor will have to be careful to give due weight to their complaints, which may sometimes be spoken only casually.

Sudden changes of temperature are ill tolerated by the elderly. Extreme cold or heat have a strong deleterious effect on their heart and may precipitate or aggravate angina, heart attack or congestive heart failure. They need to be protected against such exposure.

People Who interested in Cardiac care also interested in

Symptoms of Heart Attack , Heart attack Causes and Heart attack Treatment