Acute Heart Failure Syndromes in the Elderly: The European Perspective.

Acute heart failure (AHF) in the elderly is an increasingly common clinical problem associated with high in-hospital, short- and long-term mortality rates worldwide. Elderly patients with AHF have different clinical and pathophysiological profiles compared with younger ones. Prevalent cardiovascular comorbidities in the elderly are arterial hypertension and atrial fibrillation, whereas ischemic heart disease and associated risk factors are more common in younger patients. There is a need for greater dissemination of heart failure guidelines and for involvement of multidisciplinary teams for optimizing treatment and eliminating disparities in care in this vulnerable patient group across both sides of the Atlantic.