Effets cardiovasculaires des médicaments non cardiovasculaires chez le sujet âgé

Iatrogenic pathology is a frequent and sometimes serious complication of medical therapeutics in older adults. The cardiovascular complications of noncardiovascular drugs are variable. The principal ones are rate/rhythm disturbances and in particular torsades de pointes, orthostatic hypotension and arterial hypertension. The antidementia drugs, the serotonin uptake inhibitors are in practice well tolerated on the cardiovascular level. The tolerance of the tricyclic antidepressants is worse in the elderly patients. Alpha-blocking agents can induce orthostatic hypotension. The nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs can trigger heart failure and worsen hypertension and there are concerns that the COX-2 inhibitors may increase cardiovascular risk. The use of the thiazolidinediones can cause fluid retention and oedema and worsen or induce heart failure.