Cardiac Surgery in the Elderly: Indications and Management Options to Optimize Outcomes

Elderly patients increasingly have benefited from the advances in cardiac surgical techniques and perioperative care. Compared to the same procedures in younger patients, their operations can be more technically demanding and their level of reserve leaves less margin should complications occur. The importance of using realistic indications for operations with a focus on improving the quality of lives and of optimal preoperative preparation of patients is emphasized.