title: Heart failure management in the elderly - a public health challenge.
abstract: Heart failure (HF) is a rapidly growing public health problem and the leading cause of morbidity, mortality, and hospitalization in populations > 65 years. The elderly HF patients have an increased prevalence of HF with preserved ejection fraction and comorbidities, may present with atypical symptoms and signs, have a higher risk for adverse drug reactions, and worse prognosis as compared with younger patients. Moreover, there is a lack of evidence-based therapies for this population because they are underrepresented in the clinical trials. The elderly are less likely to be evaluated by a cardiologist and to be treated in accordance with recommendations of the current HF guidelines. Although the treatment is improving, it is still suboptimal; therefore, HF in elderly patients requires mobilization of public health services and improvement of treatment strategies.
authors.affiliation: Cardiology Department, Clinical Hospital Center Zvezdara, Belgrade, Serbia.
authors.forename: Natasa
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Cvetinovic
authors.affiliation: Cardiology Department, Clinical Hospital Center Zvezdara, Belgrade, Serbia.|Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia.
authors.forename: Goran
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Loncar
authors.affiliation: National Institute of Public Health, Ljubljana, Slovenia. jerneja.farkas-lainscak@nijz.si.
authors.forename: Jerneja
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Farkas
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000072038:Cardiac Rehabilitation / Q000379:methods*; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D005081:Exercise Therapy / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D015577:Geriatric Assessment / Q000379:methods*; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006299:Health Services for the Aged; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000401:mortality / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male
keywords: Elderly; Heart failure; Public health; Treatment strategy