Cardiopulmonary Components of the Geriatric Assessment

The geriatric assessment is a multidisciplinary assessment designed to evaluate an older person’s functional ability, physical health, cognition and mental health, and socio environmental circumstances. Cardiopulmonary function is an integral component of the Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment.
• Identify the age-related changes that occur in the older adult and discuss how these changes are important in the evaluation of the cardiac and pulmonary systems.
• Specifically discuss the age-related changes that result in heart failure and decreased pulmonary function in the older adult.
• What do these changes mean to the older adult and what can be done to improve function in terms of lifestyle, pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic interventions?