Impact of Frailty and Delirium Among Older Adults Admitted With Acute Decompensated Heart Failure.

Background: The presence of frailty or delirium among patients hospitalized for acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF) is associated with increased mortality and prolonged hospital stay. Objectives: The purpose of this study was to assess the combined effect of frailty and delirium on in-hospital mortality and disposition at discharge among older adults hospitalized with ADHF. Methods: We conducted a retrospective observational study using Nationwide Inpatient Sample data from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality from 2016 to 2018. Patients aged 65 years or older with a diagnosis of ADHF (both with preserved and reduced left ventricular ejection fraction) were included. For analysis, we conducted a multivariable logistic regression analysis to determine OR for in-hospital mortality or nonhome discharge from delirium and frailty. Results: A total of 3,577,433 weighted number of hospitalizations with ADHF were included. Delirium, moderate frailty risk, and high frailty risk increased the OR for in-hospital mortality (3.74; 95% CI: 3.70-3.78, 4.02; 95% CI: 3.96-4.09, and 8.63; 95% CI: 8.47-8.78, respectively) and nonhome discharge (4.21; 95% CI: 4.18-4.25, 2.95; 95% CI: 2.94-2.97, and 8.86; 95% CI: 8.78-8.94, respectively). When the combination of delirium and frailty was assessed, compared to those without delirium and with low frailty risk, the OR of mortality among those with delirium and high frailty risk was the highest at 12.18 (95% CI: 11.89-12.48). For nonhome discharge, the OR was the highest among those with delirium and high frailty risk at 14.01 (95% CI: 13.77-14.26). Conclusions: Frailty and delirium, independently and in combination, led to higher odds of in-hospital mortality and nonhome disposition at discharge among patients hospitalized with ADHF.

Beta-Blockers for Secondary Prevention following Myocardial Infarction in Patients Without Reduced Ejection Fraction or Heart Failure: An Updated Meta-Analysis.

AIM: The 2023 ESC guidelines for acute coronary syndrome note that contemporary data are heterogenous regarding beta-blockers (BB) use post-myocardial infarction (MI) in patients without reduced ejection fraction (EF) or heart failure (HF). We aimed to address the heterogeneity in contemporary data around BB post-MI in this population. METHODS: We searched 6 databases from Jan 1, 2000 to Sep 1, 2024 to identify contemporary studies enrolling MI patients without reduced EF (≤40%) or history of HF receiving BB at index MI, and comparing outcomes between BB users and non-users. The primary outcome was all-cause mortality. Secondary outcomes included major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events (MACCE) and cardiovascular (CV) mortality. Random-effects meta-analysis was conducted using the restricted maximum likelihood method. RESULTS: There were 24 studies including 290,349 patients enrolled in the contemporary era. Overall, BB use was associated with a significant 11% reduction in all-cause mortality (HR, 0.89; 95% CI, 0.81 to 0.97; I2 = 40%; Figure 1), however with moderate-to-high statistical heterogeneity. Prespecified subgroup analyses demonstrate comparable all-cause mortality (HR, 0.99; 95% CI, 0.94 to 1.06; I2 = 0%), CV mortality (HR, 0.99; 95% CI, 0.85 to 1.15; I2 = 0%), and MACCE (HR, 1.24; 95% CI, 1.01 to 1.52; I2 = 0%) in patients with a 1-year event-free period, defined as no death, recurrent MI, or HF while on BB following index MI. In patients with no event-free period, meta-regression revealed that BB mortality benefits were modified by the study inclusion period (P = 0.01), reflecting a temporal trend of decreasing BB mortality benefits over time. Based on the temporal trend, in patients with preserved EF post-2010, BB exhibited no reduction in all-cause mortality (HR, 0.97; 95% CI, 0.90 to 1.04; I2 = 0%), but a non-significant trend towards increased CV mortality (HR, 1.29; 95% CI, 0.96 to 1.72; I2 = 0%) and a significant increase in MACCE (HR, 1.24; 95% CI, 1.01 to 1.52; I2 = 0%). CONCLUSION: In the contemporary reperfusion era, BB may not confer additional mortality benefits beyond a 1-year event-free period post-MI in patients without reduced EF. Moreover, post-MI BB use was associated with detrimental effects in patients with preserved EF.

Our study aimed to synthesize current evidence around post-myocardial infarction (MI) beta-blocker (BB) use in patients without reduced ejection fraction (EF) or heart failure (HF). We reveal that the mortality benefits of BB are modified by 3 factors, namely an event-free period, study inclusion period, and EF.In patients on BB post-MI with 1 year free of death, recurrent MI, or HF, there may not be additional mortality benefit to continuing the BB.For patients included after 2010, BB did not offer mortality benefits and may even be harmful in those with preserved EF.In contrast to those with preserved EF, patients with mildly reduced EF derive mortality benefits from BB.

Guideline-directed medical therapy implementation during hospitalization for cardiogenic shock.

AIMS: Despite significant morbidity and mortality, recent advances in cardiogenic shock (CS) management have been associated with increased survival. However, little is known regarding the management of patients who survive CS with heart failure (HF) with reduced left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF, HFrEF), and the utilization of guideline-directed medical therapy (GDMT) in these patients has not been well described. To fill this gap, we investigated the use of GDMT during an admission for CS and short-term outcomes using the Inova single-centre shock registry. METHODS: We investigated the implementation of GDMT for patients who survived an admission for CS with HFrEF using data from our single-centre shock registry from January 2017 to December 2019. Baseline characteristics, discharge clinical status, data on GDMT utilization and 30 day, 6 month and 12 month patient outcomes were collected by retrospective chart review. RESULTS: Among 520 patients hospitalized for CS during the study period, 185 (35.6%) had HFrEF upon survival to discharge. The median age was 64 years [interquartile range (IQR) 56, 70], 72% (n = 133) were male, 22% (n = 40) were Black and 7% (n = 12) were Hispanic. Forty-one per cent of patients (n = 76) presented with shock related to acute myocardial infarction (AMI), while 59% (n = 109) had HF-related CS (HF-CS). The median length of hospital stay was 12 days (IQR 7, 18). At discharge, the proportions of patients on beta-blockers, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEis)/angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs)/angiotensin receptor/neprilysin inhibitors (ARNIs) and mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists (MRAs) were 78% (n = 144), 58% (n = 107) and 55% (n = 101), respectively. Utilization of three-drug GDMT was 33.0% (n = 61). Ten per cent of CS survivors with HFrEF (n = 19) were not prescribed any component of GDMT at discharge. Multivariable logistic regression adjusted for baseline GDMT use revealed that patients with lower LVEF and those who transferred to our centre from an outside hospital were more likely to experience GDMT addition (P < 0.05). Patients prescribed at least one additional class of GDMT during admission had higher odds of 6 month and 1 year survival (P < 0.01): On average, 6 month survival odds were 7.1 times greater [confidence interval (CI) 1.9, 28.5] and 1 year survival odds were 6.0 times greater than those who did not have at least one GDMT added (CI 1.9, 20.5). CONCLUSIONS: Most patients who survived CS admission with HFrEF in this single-centre CS registry were not prescribed all classes or goal doses of GDMT at hospital discharge. These findings highlight an urgent need to augment multidisciplinary efforts to enhance the post-discharge medical management and outcomes of patients who survive CS with HFrEF.

SCAI Manual of Standard Operating Procedures for Performing Scientific Surveys.

The Society for Cardiovascular Angiography & Interventions (SCAI) endeavors to serve the interventional cardiology community, including both clinicians and patients. The SCAI Scientific Oversight Committee is charged with annually reviewing the scientific needs of the membership at large, including survey-based research of the practice patterns and perspectives of SCAI members and stakeholders. This document is intended as a reference by the survey proponents, document writing groups, external collaborators, SCAI representatives, peer reviewers, and anyone seeking information about the SCAI surveys program. The aims of this SCAI document are to: (1) provide a framework for members to develop survey requests that are relevant, feasible, and align with the Society's missions and goals; (2) promote transparency and clarity for the process of performing a survey through SCAI; (3) establish the criteria for evaluating survey requests and provide input on reliable and meaningful design, data collection, and best practices; and (4) facilitate collaboration and communication between the survey committee and members of SCAI to maximize the impact of the findings to the interventional community at large.

Frailty and Cardiovascular Health.

The incidence of frailty and cardiovascular disease (CVD) increases as the population ages. There is a bidirectional relationship between frailty and CVD, and both conditions share several risk factors and underlying biological mechanisms. Frailty has been established as an independent prognostic marker in patients with CVD. Moreover, its presence significantly influences both primary and secondary prevention strategies for adults with CVD while also posing a barrier to the inclusion of these patients in pivotal clinical trials and advanced cardiac interventions. This review discusses the current knowledge base on the relationship between frailty and CVD, how managing CVD risk factors can modify frailty, the influence of frailty on CVD management, and future directions for frailty detection and modification in patients with CVD.

Representation of Older Adults in the ACC/AHA/SCAI Guideline for Coronary Artery Revascularization.

This cross-sectional study assesses the generalizability of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association/Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions (ACC/AHA/SCAI) guideline by examining the representation of older adults in studies cited in the guideline.

Association Between Frailty and Management and Outcomes of Acute Myocardial Infarction Complicated by Cardiogenic Shock.

Background: Cardiogenic shock (CS) in the setting of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is associated with high morbidity and mortality. Frailty is a common comorbidity in patients with cardiovascular disease and is also associated with adverse outcomes. The impact of preexisting frailty at the time of CS diagnosis following AMI has not been studied. Objectives: The purpose of this study was to examine the prevalence of frailty in patients admitted with AMI complicated by CS (AMI-CS) hospitalizations and its associations with in-hospital outcomes. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the National Inpatient Sample from 2016 to 2020 and identified all hospitalizations for AMI-CS. We classified them into frail and nonfrail groups according to the hospital frailty risk score cut-off of 5 and compared in-hospital outcomes. Results: A total of 283,700 hospitalizations for AMI-CS were identified. Most (70.8%) occurred in the frail. Those with frailty had higher odds of in-hospital mortality (adjusted OR [aOR]: 2.17, 95% CI: 2.07 to 2.26, P < 0.001), do-not-resuscitate status, and discharge to a skilled nursing facility compared with those without frailty. They also had higher odds of in-hospital adverse events, including intracranial hemorrhage, gastrointestinal hemorrhage, acute kidney injury, and delirium. Importantly, AMI-CS hospitalizations in the frail had lower odds of coronary revascularization (aOR: 0.55, 95% CI: 0.53-0.58, P < 0.001) or mechanical circulatory support (aOR: 0.89, 95% CI: 0.85-0.93, P < 0.001). Lastly, hospitalizations for AMI-CS showed an overall increase from 53,210 in 2016 to 57,065 in 2020 (P trend <0.001), with this trend driven by a rise in the frail. Conclusions: A high proportion of hospitalizations for AMI-CS had concomitant frailty. Hospitalizations with AMI-CS and frailty had higher rates of in-hospital morbidity and mortality compared to those without frailty.

Quality of Life in Older Adults With Stable Ischemic Heart Disease and Diabetes Mellitus: A Post Hoc Analysis of the BARI 2D Trial.

Studies on the long-term differences in quality-of-life (QoL) metrics after treatment for stable ischemic heart disease (SIHD) in older adults with diabetes mellitus are lacking. Older patients (age ≥65 years) in the Bypass Angioplasty Revascularization Investigation 2 Diabetes (BARI 2D) trial were stratified into those who received intensive medical therapy (IMT) only versus revascularization (percutaneous coronary intervention [PCI] vs coronary artery bypass graft surgery [CABG]) with Optimal Medical Therapy (OMT). Self-health score, Duke activity status index (DASI), energy rating, and health distress rating at 5 years were compared using multivariable linear regression. A total of 929 older adults were included, of whom 469 (50.5%) underwent medical therapy alone, 302 (32.5%) underwent PCI, and 158 (17.0%) had CABG. Patients who underwent CABG were more likely to have proximal left anterior descending coronary artery disease, chronic total occlusion, and higher myocardial jeopardy index. At 5 years of follow-up, no differences in self-health score, DASI, energy rating, and health distress rating were observed between PCI and IMT. There are also no differences in the 4 QoL measures between CABG and IMT alone. However, the DASI was marginally higher with CABG but not statistically significant (mean difference 3.88, 95% confidence interval -0.10 to -7.86, p = 0.057). At 5 years of follow-up, no differences in QoL measures were observed between PCI and CABG with OMT versus OMT alone in older adult patients with diabetes mellitus and SIHD. Future blinded randomized trials are necessary to investigate the impact of SIHD treatment in the older adult population, considering the risks associated with multimorbidity, polypharmacy, frailty, and cognitive impairment.

Case Volumes and Outcomes Among Early-Career Interventional Cardiologists in the United States.

BACKGROUND: Little is known about the procedural characteristics, case volumes, and mortality rates for early- vs non-early-career interventional cardiologists in the United States. OBJECTIVES: This study examined operator-level data for patients who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) between April 2018 and June 2022. METHODS: Data were collected from the National Cardiovascular Data Registry CathPCI Registry, American Board of Internal Medicine certification database, and National Plan and Provider Enumeration System database. Early-career operators were within 5 years of the end of training. Annual case volume, expected mortality and bleeding risk, and observed/predicted mortality and bleeding outcomes were evaluated. RESULTS: A total of 1,451 operators were early career; 1,011 changed their career status during the study; and 6,251 were non-early career. Overall, 514,540 patients were treated by early-career and 2,296,576 patients by non-early-career operators. The median annual case volume per operator was 59 (Q1-Q3: 31-97) for early-career and 57 (Q1-Q3: 28-100) for non-early-career operators. Early-career operators were more likely to treat patients presenting with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction and urgent indications for PCI (both P < 0.001). The median predicted mortality risk was 2.0% (Q1-Q3: 1.5%-2.7%) for early-career and 1.8% (Q1-Q3: 1.2%-2.4%) for non-early-career operators. The median predicted bleeding risk was 4.9% (Q1-Q3: 4.2%-5.7%) for early-career and 4.4% (Q1-Q3: 3.7%-5.3%) for non-early-career operators. After adjustment, an increased risk of mortality (OR: 1.08; 95% CI: 1.05-1.17; P < 0.0001) and bleeding (OR: 1.08; 95% CI: 1.05-1.12; P < 0.0001) were associated with early-career status. CONCLUSIONS: Early-career operators are caring for patients with more acute presentations and higher predicted risk of mortality and bleeding compared with more experienced colleagues, with modestly worse outcomes. These data should inform institutional practices to support the development of early-career proceduralists.

TAVR in Older Adults: Moving Toward a Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment and Away From Chronological Age: JACC Family Series.

Calcific aortic stenosis can be considered a model for geriatric cardiovascular conditions due to a confluence of factors. The remarkable technological development of transcatheter aortic valve replacement was studied initially on older adult populations with prohibitive or high-risk for surgical valve replacement. Through these trials, the cardiovascular community has recognized that stratification of these chronologically older adults can be improved incrementally by invoking the concept of frailty and other geriatric risks. Given the complexity of the aging process, stratification by chronological age should only be the initial step but is no longer sufficient to optimally quantify cardiovascular and noncardiovascular risk. In this review, we employ a geriatric cardiology lens to focus on the diagnosis and the comprehensive management of aortic stenosis in older adults to enhance shared decision-making with patients and their families and optimize patient-centered outcomes. Finally, we highlight knowledge gaps that are critical for future areas of study.

Sarcopenia and aortic valve disease.

Valvular heart disease, including calcific or degenerative aortic stenosis (AS), is increasingly prevalent among the older adult population. Over the last few decades, treatment of severe AS has been revolutionised following the development of transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR). Despite improvements in outcomes, older adults with competing comorbidities and geriatric syndromes have suboptimal quality of life outcomes, highlighting the cumulative vulnerability that persists despite valve replacement. Sarcopenia, characterised by loss of muscle strength, mass and function, affects 21%-70% of older adults with AS. Sarcopenia is an independent predictor of short-term and long-term outcomes after TAVR and should be incorporated as a prognostic marker in preprocedural planning. Early diagnosis and treatment of sarcopenia may reduce morbidity and mortality and improve quality of life following TAVR. The adverse effects of sarcopenia can be mitigated through resistance training and optimisation of nutritional status. This is most efficacious when administered before sarcopenia has progressed to advanced stages. Management should be individualised based on the patient's wishes/preferences, care goals and physical capability. Exercise during the preoperative waiting period may be safe and effective in most patients with severe AS. However, future studies are needed to establish the benefits of prehabilitation in improving quality of life outcomes after TAVR procedures.

Palliative Care Education in Cardiovascular Disease Fellowships: A National Survey of Program Directors.

BACKGROUND: Palliative care (PC) is an essential component of high-quality care for people with cardiovascular disease (CVD). However, little is known about the current state of PC education in CVD training, including attitudes toward integration of PC into training and implementation of PC by the program's leadership. METHODS: We developed a nationwide, cross-sectional survey that queried education approaches, perspectives and barriers to PC education in general CVD fellowship training. The survey was distributed to 392 members of the American College of Cardiology Program Director (PD) listserv, representing 290 general CVD fellowships between 1/2023 and 4/2023. We performed descriptive and ꭕ2 analyses of survey data. RESULTS: Of the program's representatives, 56 completed the survey (response rate = 19.3%). Respondents identified themselves as current PDs (89%), associate PDs (8.9%) or former PDs (1.8%), representing a diverse range of program sizes and types and regions of the country. Respondents reported the use of informal bedside teaching (88%), formal didactics (59%), online or self-paced modules (13%), in-person simulation (11%), and clinical rotations (16%) to teach PC content. Most programs covered PC topics at least annually, although there was variability by topic. We found no associations between program demographics and type or frequency of PC education. Most respondents reported dissatisfaction with the quantity (62%) or quality (59%) of the PC education provided. Barriers to PC education included an overabundance of other content to cover (36%) and perceived lack of fellow (20%) or faculty (18%) interest. Comments demonstrated the importance of PC education in fellowship, the lack of a requirement to provide PC education, difficulty in covering all topics, and suggestions of how PC skills should be taught. CONCLUSIONS: In a national survey of CVD educational leadership concerning approaches to PC education in CVD training, respondents highlighted both challenges to implementation of formal PC curricula in cardiology training and opportunities for comprehensive PC education.

Chronological vs Biological Age in Interventional Cardiology: A Comprehensive Approach to Care for Older Adults: JACC Family Series.

Aging is the gradual decline in physical and physiological functioning leading to increased susceptibility to stressors and chronic illnesses, including cardiovascular disease. With an aging global population, in which 1 in 6 individuals will be older than 60 years by 2030, interventional cardiologists are increasingly involved in providing complex care for older individuals. Although procedural aspects remain their main clinical focus, interventionalists frequently encounter age-associated risks that influence eligibility for invasive care, decision making during the intervention, procedural adverse events, and long-term management decisions. The unprecedented growth in transcatheter interventions, especially for structural heart diseases at extremes of age, have pushed age-related risks and implications for cardiovascular care to the forefront. In this JACC state-of-the-art review, the authors provide a comprehensive overview of the aging process as it relates to cardiovascular interventions, with special emphasis on the difference between chronological and biological aging. The authors also address key considerations to improve health outcomes for older patients during and after their invasive cardiovascular care. The role of "gerotherapeutics" in interventional cardiology, technological innovation in measuring biological aging, and the integration of patient-centered outcomes in the older adult population are also discussed.

Frailty and In-Hospital Outcomes for Management of Cardiogenic Shock without Acute Myocardial Infarction.

(1) Background: Cardiogenic shock (CS) is associated with high morbidity and mortality. Frailty and cardiovascular diseases are intertwined, commonly sharing risk factors and exhibiting bidirectional relationships. The relationship of frailty and non-acute myocardial infarction with cardiogenic shock (non-AMI-CS) is poorly described. (2) Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the National Inpatient Sample from 2016 to 2020 and identified all hospitalizations for non-AMI-CS. We classified them into frail and non-frail groups according to the hospital frailty risk score cut-off of 5 and compared in-hospital outcomes. (3) Results: A total of 503,780 hospitalizations for non-AMI-CS were identified. Most hospitalizations involved frail adults (80.0%). Those with frailty had higher odds of in-hospital mortality (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 2.11, 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.03-2.20, p < 0.001), do-not-resuscitate status, and discharge to a skilled nursing facility compared with those without frailty. They also had higher odds of in-hospital adverse events, such as acute kidney injury, delirium, and longer length of stay. Importantly, non-AMI-CS hospitalizations in the frail group had lower use of mechanical circulatory support but not rates of cardiac transplantation. (4) Conclusions: Frailty is highly prevalent among non-AMI-CS hospitalizations. Those accompanied by frailty are often associated with increased rates of morbidity and mortality compared to those without frailty.

Best practices for vascular arterial access and closure: a contemporary guide for the cardiac catheterization laboratory.

More than 1 million transcatheter-based cardiovascular procedures across the spectrum of interventional cardiology are performed annually in the United States. With the expanded indications for and increased complexities associated with these procedures, interventional cardiologists are expected to possess the requisite expertise to complete these interventions safely and effectively. While the art of vascular access and closure remains a prerequisite and critical skillset in contemporary practice, there remain significant variations in the techniques employed, resulting in the bleeding and vascular complications encountered in clinical practice. With an increasing recognition of the potential merits to standardized approaches to vascular access and closure, cardiovascular societies have put forth recommendations around best practices for performing these procedures in the cardiac catheterization laboratories. In this review, we aim to: (1) Examine the evolving definitions of bleeding and vascular complications; (2) Review best practices for transradial and transfemoral access and closure, including for large bore procedures; and (3) Highlight knowledge gaps and proposed areas of clinical research pertaining to vascular access which may inform clinical practice and potentially optimize the outcomes of patients undergoing transcatheter-based cardiac and vascular interventions.

Shorter Dual Antiplatelet Therapy for Older Adults After Percutaneous Coronary Intervention: A Systematic Review and Network Meta-Analysis.

Importance: The optimal duration of dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) for older adults after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is uncertain because they are simultaneously at higher risk for both ischemic and bleeding events. Objective: To investigate the association of abbreviated DAPT with adverse clinical events among older adults after PCI. Data Sources: The Cochrane Library, Google Scholar, Embase, MEDLINE, PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science were searched from inception to August 9, 2023. Study Selection: Randomized clinical trials comparing any 2 of 1, 3, 6, and 12 months of DAPT were included if they reported results for adults aged 65 years or older or 75 years or older. Data Extraction and Synthesis: The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) reporting guideline was used to abstract data and assess data quality. Risk ratios for each duration of DAPT were calculated with alternation of the reference group. Main Outcomes and Measures: The primary outcome of interest was net adverse clinical events (NACE). Secondary outcomes were major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) and bleeding. Results: In 14 randomized clinical trials comprising 19 102 older adults, no differences were observed in the risks of NACE or MACE for 1, 3, 6, and 12 months of DAPT. However, 3 months of DAPT was associated with a lower risk of bleeding compared with 6 months of DAPT (relative risk [RR], 0.50 [95% CI, 0.29-0.84]) and 12 months of DAPT (RR, 0.57 [95% CI, 0.45-0.71]) among older adults. One month of DAPT was also associated with a lower risk of bleeding compared with 6 months of DAPT (RR, 0.68 [95% CI, 0.54-0.86]). Conclusions and Relevance: In this systematic review and meta-analysis of different durations of DAPT for older adults after PCI, an abbreviated DAPT duration was associated with a lower risk of bleeding without any concomitant increase in the risk of MACE or NACE despite the concern for higher-risk coronary anatomy and comorbidities among older adults. This study, which represents the first network meta-analysis of this shortened treatment for older adults, suggests that clinicians may consider abbreviating DAPT for older adults.

Chronic Coronary Disease in Older Adults.

The number of older adults age ≥75 with chronic coronary disease (CCD) continues to rise. CCD is a major contributor to morbidity, mortality, and disability in older adults. Older adults are underrepresented in randomized controlled trials of CCD, which limits generalizability to older adults living with multiple chronic conditions and geriatric syndromes. This review discusses the presentation of CCD in older adults, reviews the guideline-directed medical and invasive therapies, and recommends a patient-centric approach to making treatment decisions.

Frailty in the cardiac intensive care unit: assessment and impact.

Frailty, a clinical syndrome of increased vulnerability, due to diminished cognitive, physical, and physiological reserves is a growing concern in the cardiac intensive care unit (CICU). It contributes to morbidity, mortality, and complications and often exerts a bidirectional association with cardiovascular disease. Although it predominately affects older adults, frailty can also be observed in younger patients <65 years of age, with approximately 30% of those admitted in CICU are frail. Acute cardiovascular illness can also impair physical and cognitive functioning among survivors and these survivors often suffer from frailty and functional declines post-CICU discharge. Patients with frailty in the CICU often have higher comorbidity burden, and they are less likely to receive optimal therapy for their acute cardiovascular conditions. Given the significance of this geriatric syndrome, this review will focus on assessment, clinical outcomes, and interventions, in an attempt to establish appropriate assessment, management, and resource utilization in frail patients during and after CICU admission.