DEFINING OUTCOMES IN OLDER PATIENTS WITH CARDIOVASCULAR-DISEASE

It is now possible to track a comprehensive range of outcomes in elder ly cardiac patients. Beside vital clinical end-points, these include h ealth-related quality of life, satisfaction with care, and economic ou tcomes. This range of outcomes, each set complementing the others, can support patient care that is more effective from both the physician's and the patient's perspective. In this summary article, duality of li fe, satisfaction and economic outcomes are explored relative to the tr eatment of elderly cardiac patients. This is not meant to diminish the importance of the clinical measures that can and must be readily appr eciated by physicians managing their cardiac patients. Instead, the me asures discussed here augment the armamentarium that physicians can us e to implement their patient care responsibilities.