Congestive heart failure in elderly patients.

The prevalence of congestive heart failure (CHF) is increasing. Most patients with CHF are elderly, and CHF is the most common dismissal diagnosis in elderly hospitalized patients. As many as 50% of elderly patients with heart failure may have normal systolic function and isolated diastolic heart failure. Assessment and management of elderly patients are complicated by comorbidities, increased susceptibility to side effects, and concerns about the appropriate use of costly and invasive procedures. The basics of the approach to the evaluation and management of heart failure in elderly patients are reviewed.