The value of comprehensive geriatric assessment in elderly patients with severe aortic stenosis – a position statement of the European Union Geriatric Medicine Society (EUGMS)

Abstract

Severe symptomatic aortic stenosis is a serious condition of elderly, mostly geriatric patients with a poor prognosis if the valve is not replaced. Since geriatricians are able to provide major expertise in the prognostic assessment as well in the clinical management of these patients, they need to be more closely involved in the decision making process. For this reason the European Union Geriatric Medicine Society (EUGMS) represented by the authors phrased three propositions: (1) geriatricians need to be aware of the impact of severe aortic stenosis on patients’ outcomes and should be encouraged to take an active role in aortic stenosis management; (2) they need to be aware of treatment options and are required to support multidisciplinary teams with their expertise in assessing geriatric patients; (3) they should routinely perform a comprehensive geriatric assessment in patients with severe aortic stenosis scheduled to undergo surgical or transcatheter aortic valve replacement and during long-term follow-up.