Heart failure is predominantly a disease of the elderly; aging of the population is contributing to an epidemic of heart failure.The epidemiology, pathophysiology, prognosis, clinical manifestations, diagnostic assessment, etiology, and role of echocardiography in the diagnostic assessment and etiology of heart failure are discussed. The treatment of heart failure in the elderly through the use of diuretics, inotropic drugs, neurohormonal antagonists, antiarrhythmic drugs, angioplasty, surgical therapy, cardiac resynchoronization therapy, exercise therapy, and use of implantable cardioverter-defibrillators are presented. All of the authors who have contributed to this book are nationally and internationally recognized experts in cardiovascular disease in the elderly who are dedicated to improving care for older persons with cardiovascular disease. Their many years of personal experience enable them to summarize and synthesize their respective topics with unique insights that are highly beneficial to the reader.

Contents: Epidemiology, pathophysiology, and prognosis of heart failure in the elderly; Clinical manifestations, diagnostic assessment, and etiology of heart failure in the elderly; Role of echocardiography in the diagnostic assessment and etiology of heart failure in the elderly; Treatment of heart failure with abnormal left ventricular systolic function in the elderly; Treatment of heart failure with preserved left ventricular systolic function in the elderly; Use of diuretics in treatment of heart failure in the elderly; Heart failure complicating acute myocardial infarction in the elderly; Use of inotropic drugs and neurohormonal antagonists in treatment of heart failurein the elderly; Interventional therapy with angioplasty for treatment of heart failure in the elderly; Surgical therapy for treatment of heart failure in the elderly; Cardiac resynchronization therapy for treatment of heart failure in the elderly; Treatment of arrhythmias and use of implantable cardioverter-defibrillators in treatment of heart failure in the elderly; Exercise therapy for treatment of heart failure in the elderly; End of life care in treating heart failure in the elderly.

With the aging of the population, heart failure is fast becoming an epidemic the medical community needs to deal with. In special patient populations, such as the elderly, the question of treatment cannot be a simple one. All of the authors who have contributed to this book are nationally and internationally recognized experts in cardiovascular disease as it appears in the elderly. They are dedicated to improving care for older persons and their many years of personal experience enable them to summarize and synthesize their respective topics with unique insights that are highly beneficial to the reader.