Transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) patients tend to be older than most cardiac patients and thus more likely to be frail. Assessment of frailty may hold value in predicting patient outcomes. In a pilot study presented by Heart Institute advanced practice nurse Lorraine Montoya, elderly patients classified as frail using the Canadian Study of Health and Aging Clinical Frailty Scale had a higher degree of morbidity and mortality immediately after undergoing a TAVI procedure than less-frail peers. Measurements of frailty include a person’s illnesses and disabilities, as well as any cognitive impairment. Frail TAVI patients required more ventilation and nutritional support while in hospital and had longer ICU and overall hospital stays. Three frail patients died within 30 days of the procedure compared with no deaths in the non-frail group. The TAVI team is planning a follow-up study to see if these associations hold true in a larger group of elderly patients.