Heart failure in old age
Heart failure is a typical old-age disease. It is estimated that about 10% of 75-year-olds are affected by the disease. But what is the cause?
Many diseases of our cardiovascular system lead to cardiac insufficiency. Arterial high blood pressure, cardiac arrhythmia or coronary heart disease are extremely common, especially in the last stages of life. Often, older people do not initially attribute their complaints directly to heart failure, but to other diseases.
Only when, for example, there is increasing shortage of air and the associated restrictions in everyday life (e.g. climbing stairs) do those affected go to the doctor in old age. The therapy should focus on the quality of life and well-being of the patient! At the same time, other diseases must not be forgotten. For doctors, the treatment of cardiac insufficiency in old age is therefore a special challenge.
Is heart failure curable?
According to the latest state of research, heart failure is still not curable today. Thanks to intensive efforts, symptoms can be alleviated, the progression of the disease slowed and the risk of serious complications reduced. Unfortunately, the disease cannot be stopped or even reversed.
In theory, a heart transplant can cure patients in the long term.However, since there is an extreme shortage of donor organs, this therapy option is only possible in extremely isolated cases. All in all, the prognosis of a cardiac insufficiency in the final stage can be compared to a malignant cancer! In view of the increasing aging of our society and the resulting increase in the number of people affected, the efforts of experts and researchers to find a cure for cardiac insufficiency are increasing. In the future, great hopes will be placed in, for example, the transplantation of renewable stem cells or the implantation of special pacemakers. This topic might be of interest to you: Life expectancy with cardiac insufficiency
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