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New Approaches to Treating Cardiac Cachexia in the Older Patient

  • Elderly and Heart Disease (J Wei and G Azhar, Section Editors)
  • Published:
Current Cardiovascular Risk Reports Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Congestive heart failure (CHF) is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in the elderly, accounting for more hospitalizations than any other condition. Advanced stages of congestive heart failure can be associated with serious complications such as cardiac cachexia (defined here as unintentional weight loss of more than 6 % in 6 months). Cardiac cachexia and the associated progressive weight loss are sometimes overlooked by older patients, their families and care providers. A delay in the diagnosis can result in further loss of vital organ tissue, progressive weakness, fall-related injuries and even long-term care institutionalization and/or death. During the past several years, researchers have begun to broaden their understanding of this common, morbid and often fatal condition, and these findings will help to characterize the features that assist in its diagnosis, minimize its exacerbation, delay the progressive decline, and educate clinicians about the potential management options.

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Acknowledgments

Supported in part by P30 grant AG028718 and the VISN 16 Geriatric Research, Education and Clinical Center (GRECC) of the Veterans Healthcare System.

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Gohar Azhar and Jeanne Y. Wei declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Human and Animal Rights and Informed Consent

This article does not contain any studies with human or animal subjects performed by any of the authors.

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Correspondence to Gohar Azhar.

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Azhar, G., Wei, J.Y. New Approaches to Treating Cardiac Cachexia in the Older Patient. Curr Cardiovasc Risk Rep 7, 480–484 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12170-013-0353-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12170-013-0353-6

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