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Published on: June 10, 2025
The importance of assessing nutritional status in elderly patients with heart failure
Luis Sargento1, Susana Longo, Nuno Lousada
1Heart Failure Unit, Cardiology Department, Pulido Valente Hospital, Lisbon North Hospital Centre, Rua Manuel Costa Silva nº7-2A, 1750-335, Lisbon, Portugal, luissargento@netcabo.pt.
Abstract:
Heart failure (HF) is a syndrome characterized by high morbidity and mortality, despite advances in medical and device therapy that have significantly improved survival. The outcome of HF in elderly patients results from a combination of biological, functional, psychological, and environmental factors, one of which is nutritional status. Malnutrition, as well as HF, is frequently present with aging. Early detection might lead to earlier intervention. It is our goal to review the importance of nutritional status in elderly patients with HF, as well as tools for assessing it. We also propose a simple decision algorithm for the nutritional assessment of elderly patients with HF.
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