Heart failure in the elderly

Heart failure is a progressive and often fatal disorder. The prevalence and incidence of heart failure increase continuously with advancing age. Heart failure imposes an enormous burden on society and healthcare systems as well as on the affected patient and their family. Despite recent major advancements in the pharmacological therapy of heart failure, prognosis remains poor with high morbidity and mortality. With a further aging population, an epidemic-like increase in the number of patients with heart failure is expected, making a holistic approach and the stringent use of currently available diagnostic and therapeutic modalities indispensable. This article summarizes current approaches to the diagnosis as well as to the pharmacological and nonpharmacological therapy of heart failure in the elderly patient. Heart failure is a progressive and often fatal disorder. The prevalence and incidence of heart failure increase continuously with advancing age. Heart failure imposes an enormous burden on society and healthcare systems as well as on the affected patient and their family. Despite recent major advancements in the pharmacological therapy of heart failure, prognosis remains poor with high morbidity and mortality. With a further aging population, an epidemic-like increase in the number of patients with heart failure is expected, making a holistic approach and the stringent use of currently available diagnostic and therapeutic modalities indispensable. This article summarizes current approaches to the diagnosis as well as to the pharmacological and nonpharmacological therapy of heart failure in the elderly patient.