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Heart failure in elderly patients: distinctive features and unresolved issues
Author(s) -
Lazzarini Valentina,
Mentz Robert J.,
Fiuzat Mona,
Metra Marco,
O'Connor Christopher M.
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
european journal of heart failure
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 5.149
H-Index - 133
eISSN - 1879-0844
pISSN - 1388-9842
DOI - 10.1093/eurjhf/hft028
Subject(s) - medicine , heart failure , clinical trial , epidemiology , intensive care medicine , ageing , gerontology
The prevalence of heart failure (HF) increases with age. While clinical trials suggest that contemporary evidence‐based HF therapies have reduced morbidity and mortality, these trials largely excluded the elderly. Questions remain regarding the clinical characteristics of elderly HF patients and the impact of contemporary therapies on their outcomes. This review presents the epidemiology of HF in the elderly and summarizes the data on the pathophysiology of the ageing heart. The clinical characteristics, treatment patterns, and outcomes of elderly HF patients are explored. Finally, the main gaps regarding HF therapies in the elderly and the opportunities for future trials are highlighted.