Cardiovascular Drug Therapy in the Elderly

1. Front Matter

   Pages i-x

   PDF

2. Agents Directly Enhancing Myocardial Contractility

   1. Front Matter

      Pages 1-1

      PDF

   2. Introduction

      • Adam Schneeweiss, Gotthard Schettler

      Pages 3-5

   3. Digitalis Glycosides

      • Adam Schneeweiss, Gotthard Schettler

      Pages 6-28

   4. Bipyridine Derivatives

      • Adam Schneeweiss, Gotthard Schettler

      Pages 29-37

   5. Dobutamine

      • Adam Schneeweiss, Gotthard Schettler

      Pages 38-44

   6. Dopamine

      • Adam Schneeweiss, Gotthard Schettler

      Pages 45-46

   7. MDL-17,043 (Piroximone)

      • Adam Schneeweiss, Gotthard Schettler

      Pages 47-50

   8. Ibopamine

      • Adam Schneeweiss, Gotthard Schettler

      Pages 51-52

3. Vasodilators

   1. Front Matter

      Pages 53-53

      PDF

   2. Introduction

      • Adam Schneeweiss, Gotthard Schettler

      Pages 55-55

   3. Captopril

      • Adam Schneeweiss, Gotthard Schettler

      Pages 56-69

   4. Enalapril

      • Adam Schneeweiss, Gotthard Schettler

      Pages 70-77

   5. Enalaprilat

      • Adam Schneeweiss, Gotthard Schettler

      Pages 78-79

   6. Nifedipine

      • Adam Schneeweiss, Gotthard Schettler

      Pages 80-103

   7. Nitrendipine

      • Adam Schneeweiss, Gotthard Schettler

      Pages 104-113

   8. Verapamil

      • Adam Schneeweiss, Gotthard Schettler

      Pages 114-135

   9. Diltiazem

      • Adam Schneeweiss, Gotthard Schettler

      Pages 136-144

   10. Prazosin

       • Adam Schneeweiss, Gotthard Schettler

       Pages 145-155

   11. Urapidil

       • Adam Schneeweiss, Gotthard Schettler

       Pages 156-160

Cardiovascular drug therapy has markedly progressed in the recent decades. Not only have new drugs been introduced to clinical practice, but new classes of drugs have been developed. While in 1960 the practicing cardiolo­ gist had a selection of about only ten drugs, in 1987 about 150 drugs are routinely used in cardiovascular diseases. Elderly patients, however, usually do not enjoy the full benefit of this progress. This might be due to lack of knowledge, a conservative approach, or the worldwide tendency not to try new drugs in the elderly. It is now clear that the majority of patients that will be treated in car­ diovascular clinics will be, in the near future, elderly patients. Even now, elderly patients form about one-third of the patients with cardiovascular diseases. These patients are approached, however, according to criteria devel­ oped for younger populations. This is despite the fact that elderly patients differ from younger ones in most aspects, including pathology, epidemiol­ ogy, pathophysiology, diagnostic approach, management, pharmacology, pharmacokinetics, rehabilitation, and supportive treatment. It is the purpose of this book to present to the clinician all drugs with which there is clinical experience in the elderly or which might be potentially useful for the elderly with cardiovascular diseases. The data are presented without the authors taking a position. This should allow the clinicians to make their own selection and individualize treatment, vii viii Preface based on a wide data base. Comparative data are presented only when specific comparative studies were performed.

• cardiovascular
• drugs
• heart disease
• physiology
• rehabilitation
• vascular disease

• Geriatric Cardiology Research Foundation, Tel-Aviv, Israel

  Adam Schneeweiss

• Department of Medicine, University of Heidelberg, Germany

  Gotthard Schettler

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