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Review
. 2013 Jul;15(7):717-23.
doi: 10.1093/eurjhf/hft028. Epub 2013 Feb 20.

Heart failure in elderly patients: distinctive features and unresolved issues

Valentina Lazzarini  1 , Robert J Mentz, Mona Fiuzat, Marco Metra, Christopher M O'Connor
Affiliations
Review

Heart failure in elderly patients: distinctive features and unresolved issues

Valentina Lazzarini et al. Eur J Heart Fail. 2013 Jul.

Abstract

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.

Keywords: Elderly; Heart failure; Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction; Outcomes; Therapy.

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Figure 1
Figure 1
Suggested pathophysiological mechanisms predisposing to the development of diastolic dysfunction and heart failure in otherwise healthy ageing hearts.
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