Cardiac Changes - Essay Example

Cardiac changes take place with maturation in every human being. Aging produces significant cardiovascular transformations. The cardiac productivity diminishes, arteriosclerosis develops and blood pressure rises (National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, 2003). The lungs of the aging individual illustrate a damaged exchange of gas, decelerated expiratory flow speeds, and a reduction in essential capacity. In addition, physiologic aging is also accompanied by decreased elasticity and compliance of the large arteries and aorta. This leads to enhanced impedance to left ventricular ejection, an elevated systolic arterial pressure, and consequent interstitial fibrosis and left ventricular hypertrophy. Also, an aging person experiences a decline in the proportion of myocardial relaxation. The left ventricle takes a long time to relax, becomes stiffer, and also takes a longer time to fill in diastole. This enhances the significance of a correctly timed atrial contraction in adding to an ordinary left ventricular end-diastolic size.

In addition, getting old is linked to enhanced sinoatrial node conduction duration and a decrease in the intrinsic heart rate. The reaction to postural modifications is different between youthful individuals and elderly people as cardiac productivity is controlled by rising heart rate in the youthful individuals, in contrast to the elderly people who depend on a rise in stroke capacity to balance. Also, for the aged individuals, all through exercise the tachycardic reaction is lessened. Cardiac production is controlled by a rise in stroke capacity in a number of people, while in other individuals there is no compensation and the capacity of aerobics is lessened. Finally, physiologic aging causes a prolonged isotonic contraction and a diminished velocity of shortening (U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, 2011).

The Altered Presentation and Modifications of Therapy

Therapies that lessen, prevent, or deal with blood clots have been significant in lessening cardiovascular mortality or morbidity. One, the administration of low-dose aspirin has a prolonged advantage in managing and preventing popular cardiovascular diseases, for example, coronary artery disease. In addition, the administration of aspirin has been significant in the initial prevention of stroke and heart attack in high-risk elderly patients. Two, there has been the utilization of anticoagulation with warfarin for the avoidance of stroke peripheral venous issues of tremendous forms of surgical practices in different clinical attempts. Chronic warfarin therapy diminishes the most dreaded problems of stroke in older patients with chronic atrial fibrillation. Nonetheless, warfarin therapy needs recurrent blood tests to control the dose (American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association, 2011).

Three, older patients may undergo antihypertensive therapy. Antihypertensive therapy in older patients has been utilized for thiazide diuretics solely or together with beta-blockers. Beta-blockers or Thiazide diuretics have been recommended for therapy for elderly patients suffering from hypertension due to affordable costs and proven longevity advantages. Also, each drug dosage is usually regulated for disease-related and age modifications. Finally, there are therapies that have been modified to restore the sinus rhythm. This is usually taken into account in older patients with unusual cardiovascular function or atrial arrhythmias which is not easy to manage, or which is not long-standing. Nonetheless, novel therapies are being established for specified signs that could offer better protection and easiness of utilization (American College of Cardiology, 2009).

Identify Cardiovascular Diseases and Treatments

As elderly individuals exist for a long, they may suffer from a number of cardiovascular diseases. In addition, these people may suffer from a health condition that may lead to a different condition or damage if not adequately handled. There are a number of cardiovascular diseases and treatments that are specific to the elderly population (American College of Cardiology Foundation /American Heart Association, 2009).

Hypertension

The incidence of hypertension enhances with an increase in age. The rise in systolic pressure is presumed to be because of the thickening if the arterial wall which makes it less capable and less distensible to deal with the increase in pressure that takes place due to cardiac discharge. These alterations cause an enhanced systolic blood pressure with a fairly similar diastolic blood pressure. Treatment starts with exercise and diet (American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association, 2011).

Coronary Artery Disease

Research has shown that coronary artery disease prevalence augments with age and that multi-vessel disease in elderly individuals with coronary artery disease is extremely frequent. The age-associated rise in coronary artery disease is present in both men and women but starts later in females. Treatment procedures for coronary artery disease are the same in both older and youthful individuals. They include revascularization procedures, lipid-lowering regimens, and medication, for example, calcium blockers and nitrates (U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, 2011).

Valvular Heart Disease

The aged individuals suffer from a disease process incorporating a needle or multiple valves of the heart. Valve issues are numerous in old patients due to reduced activity. Treatment may be through medication on the basis of acuteness. Nonetheless, it entails the replacement or repair of valves (American College of Cardiology Foundation /American Heart Association, 2009).