Best holiday gift for parents with heart disease: health advocacy

"Millions of adult children will get unwelcome news this holiday season: Mom or Dad has been diagnosed with heart disease. The best gift you can give your elderly parent, says cardiologist Jerome E. Granato, MD, FACC, is to take an active role in helping him or her through the diagnosis, follow-up tests, treatment decisions, and surgery. Nearly 62 million Americans have some form of cardiovascular disease. Chances are, one or both of your parents will be one of them, and they will face a daunting array of tests, drugs, surgical options, and lifestyle modifications. 'For most people,' says Dr. Granato, 'the process is daunting. But this is especially true for elderly patients, who often get overwhelmed trying to understand their disease, ask the right questions, remember all their options, and make sound decisions about how to manage their condition.' Dr. Granato says his elderly heart patients who have a strong support system - particularly spouses or adult children who help them make informed choices - are better able to stay positive, tolerate medication side effects, and recover after surgery than those who go it alone" - newswise