TAVI: A Paradigm of the Multidisciplinary Approach to the Geriatric Patient
VENICE, Italy, October 3, 2013 /PRNewswire/ --
The 9th meeting of the European Union Geriatric Medicine Society (EUGMS), opened in Venice, Italy, welcoming geriatricians from across Europe. The spotlight of this year's congress falls on Europe's ageing population and on how improving healthcare outcomes of the older patients. Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation (TAVI), a rapidly evolving, minimally-invasive heart valve replacement procedure for elderly patients with severe symptomatic aortic stenosis, was chosen as the best example of this healthcare improvement.
Speaking at the opening press conference, today, was Professor Stefania Maggi, President of the EUGMS Congress. "By 2050, more than 240 million Europeans will be aged 60 or over," she said, referring to the UN Population Ageing and Development 2012 report. "Of this group, almost 68 million will be aged 80 or more, greater than the population of most European countries, including Italy, France, the United Kingdom. This significant challenge to Europe's healthcare system will require innovative solutions and therapies."
Focusing on one such innovation, the EUGMS keynote speech was delivered at the opening ceremony, on October 2nd evening, by Professor Alain Cribier, who developed and performed with his team the first TAVI in 2002. "TAVI is a prime example of a new procedure that brings quality of life improvements specifically to elderly patients," he said. "Since the first case over ten years ago, and despite initial resistance, over 80,000 patients have now benefitted from TAVI."
Professor Cribier noted that at 85 years of age, around 8 percent of today's population can expect to have aortic stenosis, a condition characterised by the calcification and stiffening of the aortic valve. "Given the increasing proportion of elderly individuals in the population, aortic stenosis will become a significant burden," he commented. "Considering that disease-modifying pharmaceutical therapies are not available, and that many patients are inoperable or at high risk of open heart surgery, TAVI has been a very significant development."
To better understand the role of geriatricians in the management of aortic stenosis, EUGMS members were invited to participate in an online survey. "The survey demonstrated the considerable potential for increased involvement of geriatricians in the management of aortic stenosis," said Prof Andrea Ungar, Chairman of the EUGMS Working Group on TAVI. "Decision-making with TAVI is led by multi-disciplinary teams. The input of geriatricians, with particular regard to frailty, nutrition and age-related disability, is invaluable."
Over the past 50 years, geriatric medicine has evolved as a medical speciality, meeting both the challenges of increased longevity and the complexities of healthcare in later life. "Specific skills of the geriatrician include comprehensive geriatric assessments and the management of older people," noted Professor Jean-Pierre Michel, President, EUGMS. "Patients may demonstrate non-specific, atypical clinical presentations and multiple co-morbidities, calling for co-operation with other specialists, including general practitioners, nurses and paramedical disciplines. With regard to TAVI, in addition to integration within Heart Teams, geriatricians should be involved in the early stages of patient management and also during rehabilitation," he concluded.
For media information: eugms2013_press@hcc-milano.com
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