Heart failure in the elderly: epidemiology, mechanisms, and management - PubMed

3 hours ago

Heart failure (HF) incidence sharply increases after age 70, with a lifetime risk of ~25%.
Women are more prone to HF with preserved ejection fraction, while men tend to develop HF with reduced ejection fraction.
Aging-related mechanisms like mitochondrial dysfunction, oxidative stress, and chronic inflammation contribute to HF but are not targeted by current therapies.
Guideline-recommended medical therapy is effective in elderly patients but may be limited by comorbidities, frailty, and low blood pressure.
Device therapies require careful risk-benefit assessment due to prevalent comorbidities in elderly HF patients.
Advanced care planning and end-of-life discussions are crucial for elderly HF patients.

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