Role of Echocardiography in the Diagnostic Assessment and Etiology of Heart Failure in Older Adults: Opacify, Quantify, and Rectify

Echocardiography allows the assessment of systolic and diastolic function and identifies many of the common causes of heart failure (HF). Patients with minimally symptomatic or unsuspected left ventricular systolic dysfunction may be identified and receive the benefits of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor therapy. Echocardiography is also for assessing prognosis and can be used serially to evaluate treatment. Ventricular filling pressures, pulmonary artery pressures, and cardiac output can be sequentially determined. The authors believe that all patients with HF should receive careful assessment echocardiography. The authors believe using echocardiography is especially valuable in the elderly.