[Heart failure in the elderly. Therapeutic strategies]

The different types of cardiac heart failures are examined: chronic failure deriving from systolic dysfunction, diastolic dysfunction failure, refractory heart failure, acute failure. Heart failure in the elderly is not always associated with impaired ventricular contractility with decreased EF and ventricular enlargement, but frequently with diastolic dysfunction of the left ventricle (LV). The echocardiographic examination is very useful to evaluate the type of ventricular dysfunction. Since the aortic baroceptor system is less sensible, diuretics and drugs decreasing after-load must be use carefully because of orthostatic hypotension and deterioration of kidney function. The elderly are most sensible to the action of digitalis because of the pharmacokinetic changes of the drug due to age. Although the current therapy of heart failure can relieve symptoms and prolong life, prognosis is always serious. The most effective therapy is prevention as it aims at the control and, if possible, at the regression of left ventricular dysfunction in the asymptomatic or slightly symptomatic stage.