Geriatric conditions in heart failure.

As the U.S. population ages, the prevalence of geriatric conditions in patients with heart failure is increasing, although they currently fall outside the traditional heart failure disease model. In this review, we describe the co-occurrence of four common geriatric conditions (cognitive impairment, frailty, falls, and incontinence) in older adults with heart failure, their mechanisms of interaction, and their association with outcomes. We propose a new paradigm to meet the needs of the aging heart failure population that includes comprehensive assessment of geriatric conditions and tailoring of therapy and surveillance accordingly. Coordination among relevant disciplines such as cardiology and geriatrics may facilitate this transition. Further research is needed in order to understand how to optimize care for patients with specific impairments in order to improve outcomes.