As the U.S. population grows older, cardiologists are increasingly caring for patients with frailty, multiple comorbidities and complex social needs. These shifts are pushing physicians toward less-invasive procedures, faster clearance processes, multidisciplinary care models and new approaches to access and workforce challenges.
Four cardiologists recently weighed in with Becker’s about how the aging patient population is reshaping cardiology practice.
Editor’s note: Responses have been lightly edited for clarity and length.
Question: How is the aging patient population changing how cardiologists practice?
Konstantinos Marmagkiolis, MD. Interventional Cardiologist, Tampa Heart (Tampa, Fla.): In Florida, we are seeing a rapid rise in aging patients, especially “snowbirds.” At Tampa Heart and Vascular Associates, with advanced procedures performed at Tampa General, this model is reshaping care.
- Frailty: Care is tailored to frailty, memory and medications, often using minimally invasive, same-day procedures to reduce ICU stays.
- Cardiac clearance: A same-day clearance program provides testing, evaluation and a plan in one visit, avoiding delays and multiple appointments.
- Team-based care: Many older patients face multiple cardiac issues, so we use a multidisciplinary approach in coordination with Tampa General’s heart program.
Robert Wilson, MD. University of Minnesota (Minneapolis): Aging means more patients with co-morbidities and frailty. This increases procedural complexity and creates challenges for post-procedure care, requiring cardiologists to adapt strategies for safety and recovery.
Samuel Dudley, MD, PhD. Lillehei Heart Institute, University of Minnesota (Minneapolis): The aging population brings more atrial fibrillation, diastolic heart failure and frailty, which complicate interventions and recovery. It also raises issues of mobility, technology use, social isolation and caregiver fatigue. These factors call for more tailored, less invasive therapies, stronger home care and integrated ‘heart-and-mind’ approaches.
Ilan Kedan, MD. Smidt Heart Institute, Cedars-Sinai Hospital (Los Angeles): Cardiovascular disease is closely tied to aging, so demand for cardiology care will continue to rise as the U.S. population ages. This will increase case complexity, demand for imaging and interventions, and pressure on access — especially since the cardiologist workforce itself is aging. Without investment in innovation, infrastructure and workforce growth, the gap between demand and available care will only widen.
