Heart failure in older adults.
Heart failure affects approximately 5 million Americans, half of whom are at least 75 years of age, and is the leading cause of hospital admission among older adults. Additionally, the prevalence of heart failure is increasing, largely owing to the aging of the population. Heart failure in older adults differs in many respects from heart failure that occurs during middle age, including an increased proportion of women, increasing prevalence of heart failure with preserved left ventricular systolic function, and a marked increase in the number of coexisting medical conditions. In light of these factors, this article reviews the epidemiology, pathophysiology, clinical features, and treatment of heart failure in older adults.
Rich
Michael W
MW
Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 South Euclid Avenue, Campus Box 8086, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA. mrich@im.wustl.edu
D000368:Aged; D002423:Cause of Death; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D015897:Comorbidity; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy; D006439:Hemodynamics / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D010348:Patient Care Team; D011788:Quality of Life; D012307:Risk Factors; D015996:Survival Rate