Ethical issues in the management of geriatric cardiac patients

A 69-year-old woman dying of severe ischemic cardiomyopathy and peripheral arterial disease is developing gangrene of her toes without pain or overt signs of infection. Should you perform an arteriogram, attempt repeat angioplasty of either or both limbs?     

Ethical issues in the management of geriatric cardiac patients

A 92-year-old patient dies less than a year after aortic valve replacement, pacemaker-AICD implantation, renal dialysis, and rehabilitation at a cost of over a half million dollars.     

Ethical issues in the management of geriatric cardiac patients

Ethical Issue: A nonterminally ill cardiac patient opts for a high-risk revascularization procedure but insists on not receiving cardiopulmonary resuscitation in the event of an iatrogenic cardiac arrest .     

Ethical issues in the management of geriatric cardiac patients

Ethical Issue: A hospital's Ethics Committee decides to not give analgesics to a terminally ill patient to relieve her pain.     

Ethical issues in the management of geriatric cardiac patients

The Ethical Issue: A patient with multiple health problems and a clear advance directive succumbs to pleadings from her daughter to undergo heart surgery, with disastrous consequences.     

Ethical issues in the management of geriatric cardiac patients

Ethical Issue: When referred to hospice care the treating cardiologist believed that his patient would die in a few days. Instead, the patient lived over 18 months.