Older adults with limited physical abilities could potentially utilize their circumstances to mitigate the risk of cardiovascular disease!
In a recent study published in the open-access journal of the American Heart Association, researchers focused on individuals aged 65 and above with low physical function. Over a period of 8 years, 930 participants experienced at least one confirmed cardiovascular event.
The study used health data from 5,570 survivors, with an average age of 75 in 2011-2019. Of these survivors, 58% were women, 78% were white, and 22% were black. The study only included white and black individuals, with no participants from other ethnic groups.
The Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB) was used to assess physical function in the study. This test, first administered at the ARIC 5th visit, evaluates physical function by producing a score based on walking speed, rise from a chair without using hands, and standing balance.
The study found that even after adjusting for traditional cardiovascular disease risk factors, the relationship between physical function and cardiovascular disease remained significant. Intriguingly, a history of cardiovascular disease did not predict future cardiovascular events in older adults. However, those with low physical function scores were 47% more likely to experience a cardiovascular event than those with high scores, and those with moderate scores had a 25% higher risk.
The American Heart Association’s 2022 scientific statement on preventing and managing falls in older adults with cardiovascular disease (CVD) emphasizes multifactorial strategies that address both cardiovascular and fall risk factors. These include regular fall risk assessments, careful medication management, management of orthostatic hypotension, multidisciplinary interventions, and patient education and empowerment.
The AHA advocates for individualized, evidence-based approaches combining cardiovascular health optimization with fall prevention to reduce morbidity in this vulnerable group. Although the exact text of the 2022 AHA statement is not fully indexed in the search results, these strategies are aligned with the known associations between cardiovascular conditions, frailty, medication effects, and falls in older adults.
The study underscores the importance of measuring physical function levels in clinical practice for older adults. However, an additional study is needed to validate findings for individuals from different ethnic groups and with much lower physical function.
- The study, published in the American Heart Association's open-access journal, focused on chronic diseases in individuals aged 65 and above, particularly those with low physical function.
- The researchers found that even after accounting for traditional risk factors, the relationship between physical function and cardiovascular diseases remained significant, with those having low physical function scores being 47% more likely to experience a cardiovascular event.
- The American Heart Association's 2022 scientific statement emphasizes the need for strategies that address both cardiovascular and fall risk factors in older adults, including mental health, health and wellness, fitness and exercise, and mental health.
- The study's findings underscore the importance of measuring physical function levels in clinical practice, but further research is needed to validate these findings in individuals from different ethnic groups and with much lower physical function.
