Management of heart failure in the elderly, complex, and frail patient. What are the management peculiarities?
Abstract
Most patients with heart failure (HF) are elderly. Regardless of their advanced age, they are characterized by a heterogeneous general health status (comorbidities, frailty, functional and cognitive limitations), making a standardized care approach highly challenging. In this article, we will outline the main characteristics of elderly patients with heart failure, looking at: the diagnostic challenges (especially for patients with preserved ejection fraction); the uncertainties in treatment decisions resulting from the systematic exclusion of these patients from clinical trials and large registries; the need for an individualized clinical approach that takes a comprehensive view of the patient with heart disease; and, finally, the geriatric approach to these patients.
Key words: Heart failure; Elderly patient; Frailty; Individualized care.
