Exercise Therapy for Older Heart Failure Patients

Both the aging process and heart failure (HF) syndrome are characterized by a dramatic reduction of aerobic capacity. Significant decreases in muscle mass and strength are also common. Few HF training studies have included meaningful numbers of older individuals, especially those greater than 80 years of age and older women with HF with reduced ejection fraction. The modest data available suggest similar benefits in older patients and excellent safety. Resistance training may provide additional benefit. Whether exercise training can reduce mortality, hospitalizations, and overall health care costs in older adults with HF awaits the outcome of adequately powered multicenter trials.