Magnitude and Impact of Multimorbidity on Clinical Outcomes in Older Adults with Cardiovascular Disease: A Literature Review

Abstract

The authors aim to synthesize the current literature on the magnitude and impact of multimorbidity on clinical outcomes in older adults with cardiovascular disease (CVD). Most studies reported a significant association between the number of morbidities and the risk of dying. Multimorbidity was assessed either by counting the number of conditions or by use of the Charlson or Elixhauser indices. There are limited data available on the magnitude and impact of multimorbidity on clinical outcomes in patients with CVD and essentially no data on universal health outcomes (eg, health-related quality of life, symptom burden, and function).