Protocolo diagnóstico de la insuficiencia cardiaca crónica en el anciano
ISSN: 0304-5412
Year of publication: 2013
Issue Title: Enfermedades cardiovasculares (I): insuficiencia cardiaca
Series: 11
Issue: 35
Pages: 2172-2176
Type: Article
More publications in: Medicine: Programa de Formación Médica Continuada Acreditado
Abstract
Chronic heart failure in the elderly is a common and serious health problem. It is regarded as an entity of great importance in clinical practice by its high prevalence, frequently associated comorbidity, large number of consultations and hospital admissions and high mortality rates. The diagnosis of heart failure in the elderly presents different difficulties. Symptoms and signs may be particularly difficult to identify and interpret, as these patients frequently refer astenia, fatigue and cognitive impairment. Being difficult the diagnostic approach of heart failure in the elderly, additional tests as measurement of plasma natriuretic peptide concentrations and echocardiography are needed. Use of cardiac catheterization and further non-invasive imaging test including cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR), cardiac computed tomography (cardiac CT), or radionuclide imaging, can be indicated to elucidate with accuracy the syndrome etiology.