Cardiac surgery in the octogenarian: nursing implications.

OBJECTIVE

To determine morbidity and mortality rates in octogenarians undergoing cardiac surgical repairs and to compare these results with a similar group of younger patients.

DESIGN

Retrospective, two-group.

SETTING

Midwestern university medical center.

SUBJECTS

Group I consisted of 235 male and female patients who were all less than 80 years of age. Group II consisted of 235 male and female patients who were 80 years of age or older. Both groups underwent similar cardiac surgical procedures.

OUTCOME MEASURES

Development of postoperative complications, length of hospitalization, and mortality.

RESULTS

When comparing octogenarians with younger patients, octogenarians developed significantly more postoperative complications with higher operative mortality. In addition, octogenarians were hospitalized significantly longer than the younger group.

CONCLUSION

These findings suggest that age is a major risk factor influencing outcome after surgery. However, by incorporating nursing interventions with geriatric concepts, those postoperative complications that are common in octogenarians may be more effectively treated and possibly prevented. With sensitive and knowledge-based care, most older patients can anticipate good recovery after cardiac surgery.