Heart failure treatment in the elderly

Abstract

Heart failure is a growing epidemic, particularly in the elderly. As a consequence, we will see a greater number of elderly patients with heart failure in our practices. Elderly heart failure patients have not been well studied. Data suggest that most medical and other therapies are appropriate for elderly individuals. This article identifies the available data regarding treatment of heart failure in elderly patients.

Keywords::

• aging
• device therapy
• elderly
• heart failure

Financial & competing interests disclosure

The authors have no relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties.

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.

Notes

*In patients with left ventricular dysfunction.

ACEI: Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor; ARB: Angiotensin receptor blocker; HF: Heart failure.

ACEI: Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor; ARB: Angiotensin receptor blocker; ATLAS: Assessment of Treatment with Lisinopril and Survival; COLA II: Carvedilol Open-Label Assessment II; ELITE II: Evaluation of Losartan in the Elderly Study II; HF: Heart failure; HFNEF: Heart failure with normal ejection fraction; LVSD: Left ventricular systolic dysfunction; PEP-CHF: Perindopril in Elderly People with Chronic Heart Failure; PREAMI: Perindopril Remodeling in Elderly with Acute Myocardial Infarction; RALES: Randomized Aldactone Evaluation Study; SENIORS: Study of the Effects of Nebivolol Intervention on Outcomes and Rehospitalization in Seniors with Heart Failure; TOPCAT: Treatment of Preserved Cardiac Function Heart Failure with Aldosterone Antagonist; Val-HeFT: Valsartan Heart Failure Trial.