[Heart failure in the elderly]. / L'insuffisance cardiaque du sujet âgé.

Heart failure in the elderly represents a major public health problem.In this population, the general objective of therapy, defined by current guidelines, does not differ from that proposed for younger patients: the aims are to decrease symptoms, to improve quality of life, to decrease hospitalizations, and to increase survival. However, in this category of patients, respect for autonomy and quality of life remains a priority, and requires a personalized approach because of the geriatric characteristics of many patients.