Archives of gerontology and geriatrics
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Congestive heart failure (CHF) represents the most frequent cause of death and disability in the elderly. The prevalence of impairment of cognitive abilities is very high in aging and several clinical studies have demonstrated high association between cardiovascular diseases (in particular CHF) and cognitive deterioration. However, little attention has been paid to the decline of cognitive functioning during congestive heart failure in elderly patients. ⋯ This paper confirms that a multidimensional approach is necessary to better characterize and treat elderly patients, in particular those with CHF. More attention should be paid to encourage mild physical activity, to provide emotional support to patients and also to assess their general cognitive abilities. Studies on large populations of patients with heart disease have to be designed to investigate psychosocial and cognitive status in these patients.