[Chronic cardiac insufficiency in the elderly].

The incidence of chronic heart failure rises with increasing age as does the proportion of diastolic dysfunction in comparison to heart failure with reduced systolic ejection fraction. Symptoms are less specific, such as fatigue, which makes a diagnosis more difficult but classification and diagnostic work-up are the same as in younger patients. Regarding therapy there is less data because the typical study population does not include geriatric patients with multimorbidity. Nevertheless ACE inhibitors, angiotensin receptor blockers, aldosterone antagonists, diuretics and digoxin should also be used in geriatric patients considering indications and contraindications and especially interactions with co-morbidities and other prescribed medication on an individual basis. The numbers of patients above the age of 75 years receiving heart surgery is increasing. Current scores often overestimate the risk of an operation even though after individual stratification surgical and interventional procedures can be performed with low risk.