Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins, Journal of Cardiovascular Medicine, 2(12), p. 76-84, 2011
DOI: 10.2459/jcm.0b013e32834058d1
Full text: Download
A broad spectrum of concomitant disorders may complicate heart failure adding further morbidity and mortality risk. Comorbidities may be subdivided into cardiovascular and noncardiovascular. The first group includes hypertension, coronary artery disease, peripheral artery disease, cerebrovascular disease, arrhythmias and valvular heart disease. Noncardiovascular comorbidities include respiratory, endocrine, metabolic, nutritional, renal, hematopoietic, neurological as well as musculoskeletal conditions. In recent years, advances in the treatment of heart failure have not been attended by important changes in management of its comorbidities. They now seem to be major causes of the poor prognosis of heart failure patients. In this review we provide an updated summary of the epidemiological, pathophysiological and clinical characteristics of comorbidities as well as their potential impact for heart failure treatment. J Cardiovasc Med 12:76-84 (C) 2011 Italian Federation of Cardiology.