Gait Speed Test and Cognitive Decline in Frail Women With Acute Myocardial Infarction

Am J Med Sci. 2020 Nov;360(5):484-488. doi: 10.1016/j.amjms.2020.03.021. Epub 2020 Apr 14.

Abstract

Women with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) have poorer clinical outcomes than men. Elderly women present high risk of developing frailty and frail women with AMI have a higher prevalence of functional impairments than men on presentation, including physical and cognitive impairment. The Mini-Mental State Examination is a simple test that evaluates global cognitive functions. Gait speed test is a fast, inexpensive, easy measure of physical capacity with documented predictive value for major clinical outcomes. Cognitive and physical decline are very common in frail women, and their prevalence increases with age. On the basis of existing literature, we may speculate that frail women with AMI should be studied with 5-m gait speed test and Mini-Mental State Examination before hospital discharge, for a better evaluation of physical status and global cognitive function.

Keywords: Acute myocardial infarction; Cognitive decline; Frailty; Gait speed test.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale
  • Cognitive Dysfunction / diagnosis
  • Cognitive Dysfunction / physiopathology*
  • Cognitive Dysfunction / psychology
  • Female
  • Frail Elderly* / psychology
  • Frailty / diagnosis
  • Frailty / physiopathology
  • Frailty / psychology
  • Gait Analysis / methods*
  • Humans
  • Myocardial Infarction / diagnosis
  • Myocardial Infarction / physiopathology*
  • Myocardial Infarction / psychology
  • Walking Speed / physiology*