[Features and treatment of heart failure in old age]

Heart failure is a syndrome with many causes and well known symptoms, which are mentioned in the introduction. In aged people coronary and hypertensive cardiopathy are the main causes of heart failure, and only rarely do senile changes of the heart play a role. A causal therapy cannot be performed in most cases since in old age several heart diseases and concommittant affections are combined. A well aimed treatment of the diseases that cause and promote heart failure is crucial for the further course. The symptomatic treatment combines general measures, pharmacotherapy with digitalis and diuretics. Special aspects of the administration of glycosides in old age are treated in detail, and the use of continuous therapy is discussed. Diuretics as well as digitalis should be adapted to the single case. For the time being the treatment with vasodilating drugs must be restricted to special clinical situations and selected cases.