title: [Heart failure in advanced age].
abstract: In Europe, 20% of the populations is over 65 years of age. About 5% of the older adults have heart failure. Heart failure (HF) in the elderly is an increasing public health problem, leading cause of hospitalization in older patients and a major cause of morbidity and mortality. Prognosis has improved only slightly during the past decade. Typically, heart failure occurs when ventricles do not fill (diastolic heart failure - DHF) or empty blood (systolic heart failure - SHF) properly. Transthoracic echocardiography is the key investigation to confirm the underlying structural and functional abnormalities of the heart. Patients with heart failure due to left ventricular systolic dysfunction should be treated with a diuretic, an angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor, and a beta-blocker (unless contraindicated). Several epidemiologic studies have recently shown that more than 50% of older patients who present with symptoms of HF have DHF. While numerous large trials have established specific therapies for SHF, such trials are lacking for DHF. The finding of similar key pathophysiologic abnormalities in DHF and SHF suggests the possibility that therapies that have been successful for SHF may have a role in therapy for DHF. A recent survey showed that despite physicians' awareness of the benefits of beta-blocker therapy, only minority of patients with heart failure are treated with beta-blocker or combination of ACE inhibitors and beta-blocker.
authors.affiliation: Pododdział Dializ, Oddział Chorób Wewnetrznych o Profilu Nefrologicznym SPZOZ Centralnego Szpitala Kolejowego w Warszawie.
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Małecki
authors.forename: Marek
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Switalski
authors.forename: Longina
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Małecka
authors.forename: Jacek
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Imiela
mesh_terms: D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000473:pathology*; D000806:Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002316:Cardiotonic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018849:Controlled Clinical Trials as Topic; D004232:Diuretics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004452:Echocardiography / Q000592:standards; D005060:Europe; D006304:Health Status; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D012107:Research Design; D012307:Risk Factors; D014665:Vasodilator Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018487:Ventricular Dysfunction, Left / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology
chemical_list: D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists; D000806:Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors; D002316:Cardiotonic Agents; D004232:Diuretics; D014665:Vasodilator Agents