Heart failure and senile asthenia syndrome

Abstract

The role of specific approaches to the management of patients with heart failure (HF) increases steeply with increasing age, as the patients of this age need attention to geriatric problems: reduced mobility, multiple diseases and cognitive impairment. Senile asthenia is a syndrome that reflects a decline in physiological reserve and increased vulnerability to various stressors. Senile asthenia is detected in 15–74% of patients with heart failure, the prevalence depends on the method of diagnosis and the studied population. This review discusses the effects of senile asthenia, comorbidity and geriatric syndromes on diagnosis, treatment, and outcomes in elderly patients with heart failure. The detection of senile asthenia in patients with HF is important from a clinical point of view, since this condition has an adverse effect on the course of heart failure and is associated with a higher incidence of emergency hospitalization and mortality. Bodily exercises can improve mobility, and the introduction of nursing observation can enhance treatment adherence among patients.