[Heart failure in the elderly patient]

Abstract

Heart failure is a highly prevalent clinical syndrome, especially among those between 70 to 90 years of age. In the elderly patient, as opposed to that occurring in younger patients, the causal and facilitating mechanisms of the syndrome and its decompensations are generally varied and simultaneous, the clinical presentation is less specific, the diagnostic tools are less accurate and less effective or more difficult to apply. These limitations predispose to more episodes of decompensation and hospital admission, a higher risk of physical disability and poor symptom control, and worse short- or middle- term survival prognosis. Unfortunately, the amount and quality of scientific evidence related to the management of heart failure in this elderly population is smaller than that available for younger adults, which serves as the base for the elaboration of clinical practice guidelines. This review deals with the differential features of heart failure in the geriatric population.