title: Diastolic heart failure in the elderly.
abstract: Most elderly patients, particularly women, who have heart failure have a normal ejection fraction. Patients who have this syndrome have severe symptoms of exercise intolerance, frequent hospitalizations, and increased mortality. The pathophysiology and treatment are not well defined. Control of systemic hypertension may be a key to prevention and treatment. Several large trials of specific agents are currently underway.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Wake Forest University Health Sciences Center, Medical Center Boulevard, Winston-Salem, NC 27157, USA. dkitzman@wfubmc.edu
authors.forename: Dalane W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Kitzman
authors.forename: Kurt R
authors.initials: KR
authors.lastname: Daniel
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D002316:Cardiotonic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D003971:Diastole; D004232:Diuretics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D018487:Ventricular Dysfunction, Left / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology
chemical_list: D002316:Cardiotonic Agents; D004232:Diuretics