Aging and heart failure: changing demographics and implications for therapy in the elderly

The elderly population (age ≥65) is increasing and with it morbidity, hospitalizations, costs and mortality due to heart failure (HF). HF is a progressive disorder that is superimposed on an on-going aging process. The two broad categories of HF, HF with left ventricular (LV) systolic dysfunction or...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Heart failure reviews 2010-09, Vol.15 (5), p.401-405
Main Author: Jugdutt, Bodh I.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Age Factors
Aged
Aged, 80 and over
Aging - physiology
Alberta - epidemiology
Antihypertensive Agents - therapeutic use
Cardiac Pacing, Artificial
Cardiology
Defibrillators, Implantable
Demography
Disease Progression
Female
Heart Failure - drug therapy
Heart Failure - epidemiology
Heart Failure - mortality
Heart Failure - therapy
Humans
Male
Medicine
Medicine & Public Health
Stroke Volume
Ventricular Dysfunction, Left - epidemiology
Ventricular Dysfunction, Left - mortality
Ventricular Function, Left
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:The elderly population (age ≥65) is increasing and with it morbidity, hospitalizations, costs and mortality due to heart failure (HF). HF is a progressive disorder that is superimposed on an on-going aging process. The two broad categories of HF, HF with left ventricular (LV) systolic dysfunction or low ejection fraction (HF/low-EF) and HF with preserved ejection fraction (HF/PEF) are equally prevalent in the elderly. Trials of therapy for HF/low-EF in primarily non-elderly patients showed mortality benefit in elderly patients. In contrast, trials for HF/PEF have not shown mortality benefit in elderly or non-elderly patients. HF pharmacotherapy in the elderly is challenging and needs to be individualized and consider several aging-related changes. More research into the biology of aging and more clinical trials in elderly patients are needed to improve morbidity and mortality in elderly HF patients.
ISSN:1382-4147
1573-7322
DOI:10.1007/s10741-010-9164-8