L'insuffisance cardiaque (IC) du sujet age differe de celle du sujet jeune. Le vieillissement des structures cardiovasculaires fragilise l'organisme. L'apparition d'une insuffisance cardiaque est ainsi facilitee lors de la survenue d'un infarctus du myocarde ou d'une autre pathologie cardiovasculaire. La polypathologie et les manifestations cliniques souvent trompeuses, sont sources de difficultes pour attribuer a l'insuffisance cardiaque un symptome, comme la dyspnee. Les examens complementaires sont limites du fait des performances physiques reduites du sujet age (epreuve d'effort) et des risques iatrogenes (coronarographie). L'echocardiographie a une place preponderante dans les explorations. Le traitement medical repose sur les memes principes que chez les sujets jeunes mais avec des precautions particulieres, liees notamment a l'insuffisance renale et a la polymedication.
Congestive heart failure in the elderly differs from the one in the younger. The ageing of the cardiovascular system makes the organism weaker. When a myocardial infarction or an other cardiovascular disease happens, the occurrence of congestive heart failure is precipitated. The symptoms which are often misleading and the polypathologies make the assumption of relationship difficult between a symptom like dyspnea and congestive heart failure. Further examinations are limited because of the reduced physical performances in the elderly (stress test) or because of an increased risk of side-effects (coronary angiogram). The echocardiography has a central role in the exploration of congestive heart failure. The medical treatment has the same principles than in the younger but with cautions especially regarding the renal insufficiency and the multiple treatments that an elderly patient has.