Essentials of cardiovascular care for older adults： extending a US-based educational resource for collaboration with our China colleagues

1 The rationale for a geriatric cardiology skillset Throughout most of the world, people are living substantially longer. As a result, there is a rapidly expanding population of older adults who did not previously survive into old age. These adults are exposed to advanced aging processes that did not previously occur. Physiological changes of age predispose to cardiovascular diseases. Ironically, coronary heart disease, heart failure, valvular heart disease, peripheral artery disease, arrhythmias and other cardiovascular problems all soar with survival into senior years.