Abstract
The incidence and prevalence of cardiovascular disease (CVD) increaseprogressively with age in both men and women, such that age per se is a potent risk factorfor the development of CVD.The rising burden of CVD with advancing age reflects the cumulative effects oftraditional cardiovascular risk factors (i.e., hypertension, dyslipidemia, diabetes, andsmoking) coupled with age-related changes in cardiovascular structure and function thatpredispose to atherosclerosis and diminish cardiovascular reserve.With the aging of the population in the United States and around the world, thesocietal burden of CVD will continue to increase over the next several decades. It istherefore essential to examine the role of traditional and novel risk factors as potentialtherapeutic targets for primary and secondary prevention of CVD in older adults.This chapter summarizes the principal effects of aging on the cardiovascular systemand reviews current evidence for the diagnosis and treatment of cardiovascular riskfactors in the elderly population.Emphasis is placed on individualizing care based on prevalent comorbid conditions,life-expectancy, quality of life considerations, and personal preferences.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Title of host publication | Current Advances in Cardiovascular Risk (2 Volume Set) |
| Publisher | Nova Science Publishers, Inc. |
| Pages | 329-348 |
| Number of pages | 20 |
| Volume | 1 |
| ISBN (Print) | 9781620817575 |
| State | Published - 2012 |
Keywords
- Aging
- Coronary artery disease
- Diabetes mellitus
- Hyperlipidemia
- Hypertension