Frailty and Advanced Heart Failure in Older Adults

AbstractPurpose of ReviewAdvances in medical therapy have resulted in a growing population of older adults with advanced heart failure. Frailty is a clinical syndrome that increases in prevalence with age and is highly prevalent in patients with heart failure. This paper reviews the complex relationship between frailty and advanced systolic heart failure in older adults, including the potential for reversal of frailty following advanced cardiac interventions.Recent FindingsFrailty is predictive of adverse outcomes, including rehospitalization and mortality, in heart failure patients. Several small studies have shown that mechanical circulatory support can modify, and possibly reverse, functional impairments and the pathophysiologic changes associated with heart failure-related frailty.SummaryFrailty is highly prevalent in patients with advanced heart failure and is a powerful prognostic marker. Routine frailty assessment could allow clinicians to define optimal patient-centered care strategies for older adult patients with advanced heart failure.
Source: Current Cardiovascular Risk Reports - Category: Cardiology Source Type: research