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New York University, if heart surgery complications arise to ensure easy transport for emergency care. ">At hospitals like New York University, heart surgery high-risk patients can range in age from newborns to centenarians. These patients can be toddlers being treated for a congenital heart defect or an elderly individual receiving a coronary bypass. Doctors who work with high-risk patients not only need to be skilled in high-risk surgical procedures, but they must also be patient and take care to educate their high-risk patients about the risks and complications involved with these surgeries. Protecting the Elderly Patient Elderly is a term that doctors use quite loosely. This is because--as people live longer and longer--what once was considered elderly is now a false assumption. Individuals in their 70s and 80s are not necessarily fragile and inactive. In fact, many individuals in this age group lead productive and active lifestyles. For these reasons, it is important that cardiologists closely evaluate their older patients for signs that they may be at high risk for cardiac surgical procedures. In the past, heart procedures were avoided in elderly patients because there was the fear that a person's physical and mental health would quickly decline after the procedure. While this is a real fear and should be addressed, it should also not be a broad assumption. With proper physical therapy and infection control, many elderly patients can recover and return to the activities they enjoyed prior to surgery without a noticeable decline in health or activity. Addressing the Needs of Heart Disease Patients One group that may be at a higher risk of developing complications after a cardiac procedure is heart disease patients. These are individuals that have congenital heart defects, congestive heart failure, stints, or other cardiac concerns that put them in at an increased risk of death, impairment, and infection. Although these patients may be at an increased risk, it doesn't lessen their need for cardiac surgical procedures to continue to live a quality life. Therefore, doctors working with heart disease patients need to consider a team approach to care. This includes consulting with the heart disease patient's various healthcare professionals, which may include a cardiologist, a nutritionist, a physical therapist, and more. Early hospital admission prior to a procedure can also reduce the risk of complications. Patients that are admitted earlier can be monitored for changes in their blood pressure and oxygen levels. Patients with severe heart conditions may also be better off considering minimally invasive procedures. Cardiologists should go over all the options available for their patients and choose the option that can correct the problem with as little risk as possible. Finding a Heart Surgeon High-risk patients can reduce the chances of complications or death by choosing a surgeon that is practiced and skilled in the type of surgical procedure the patient will be undergoing. Not all cardiac surgeons are the same. Some specialize in open-heart surgery, while others are practiced in minimally invasive or robot-assisted procedures. It is important to choose a surgeon and heart center that can fully meet the high-risk patient's needs. If a high-risk patient chooses a heart center to have his or her surgery performed, it is important that this center has the proper equipment and protocols in place to deal with emergencies. Heart surgeries are performed on high-risk patients for surgeries every day without complications. However, things can go wrong. If this happens, cardiac patients and their families should feel that the center is adequately prepared to address the situation without delay. This means the center should have emergency equipment and be affiliated with a local hospital, such as New York University, if heart surgery complications arise to ensure easy transport for emergency care.
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