Management of Heart Failure in the Older Adult: Treatment and Opportunities

OBJECTIVE: To provide a review of the available evidence regarding pharmacotherapy and areas of pharmacist intervention in transitions of care (TOC) for the geriatric population with heart failure (HF).
DATA SOURCES: A PubMed search of articles published from 1995 through July 2018 was performed using a combination of the following words: heart failure, geriatric, elderly, (TOC), multidisciplinary, pharmacist.
STUDY SELECTION/DATA EXTRACTION: Relevant original research, review articles, and guidelines were assessed for the management of elderly patients with HF. References from the above literature were also evaluated. Articles were selected for inclusion based on relevance to the topic, detailed methods, and complete results.
DATA SYNTHESIS: HF is a common cause of morbidity, mortality, and hospitalizations in the elderly population. While it is important that patients adhere to evidencebased medications for HF, there are additional precautions and monitoring recommendations for this population because of a higher risk of adverse effects. Elderly patients with HF also require additional care during the transition of care process because they are at high risk for readmission during this time because of a variety of factors, including medication changes, barriers to medication use, and lack of communication between health care providers. As part of a multidisciplinary team, pharmacists can help to identify and address issues.
CONCLUSION: Pharmacists can improve patient care outcomes in patients with HF by providing updated recommendations on pharmacotherapy and being involved in the TOC process.