Das Herz im Alter.

Knowledge o f cardiovascular changes in old age and th e ir th e ra p e u tic options is im p o rta n t. Old age can lead to hypertro p h y of th e le ft ventricle, d ia sto lic dysfunction, heart valve changes and pulm onary hypertension. P atients often develop a rte ¬ rial hypertension. V alvular changes are com m on in people over 100 years o f age (aortic stenosis and m itra l insufficiency). The risk o f coronary heart disease is 3 5% fo r men and 24% fo r wom en. In old age, sinus node dysfunction and a tria l fib rilla tio n are com m on. 25% o f all strokes are cardiac em bolism s in a tria l fib rilla tio n . Cardiac interventions in th e elderly are increasingly frequent and include coronary catheter revascularization or valve interventions (percutaneous a o rtic valve replacem ent or M itraC lip). O ptim al therapy in old age includes not only cardiovascular interventions also include drugs and a life style m o d ification and mainly serves to im proveth equality of life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]