Turkish Journal of
GERIATRICS

Cerrahpaşa Tıp Fakültesi Kardiyoloji Anabilim Dalı, İSTANBUL Heart failure is predominantly a disease of the elderly, aging of the population is contributing to an epidemic of heart failure. The etiology of heart failure is similar in elderly and middle-aged patients. However, several anatomofunctional, hormonal and autonomic nervous system changes, typical of heart failure, occur during physiologic ageing processes also. Heart failure in elderly patients may be difficult to diagnose because of a lack of typical symptoms and physical findings that are common in younger patients with this disorder. When present, the symptoms and signs are often nonspecific and mistakenly may be thought to be caused by other disorders that are commonly present in elderly patients. As a result of these problems, physicians must be highly suspicious of heart failure in all elderly patients who have underlying heart disease or who present with nonspecific symptoms that may represent heart failure. Principles of the treatment are not different in the elderly patients. However, the geriatric specificity in the pharmacologic treatment of heart failure in drug choice and dosage, to obtain the best results with the least side effects is very important. Keywords : Heart failure; Aged; Diagnosis; Treatment