Abstract
Hemodynamic characteristics were examined in elderly patients with heart failure. The results obtained are as follows: 1. Most of the underlying causes of heart failure in elderly patients were heart diseases which were commonly found in middle or od age. The onset of clinical manifestations of heart failure were in old age in most cases. 2. It was supposed that main factors which cause clinical manifestations were low cardiac output and low arterial oxygen tension rather than congestion in mild heart failure in old age. 3. In moderate or severe heart failure, cardiac output and arterial oxygen tension were markedly reduced, while venous pressure and total circulating blood volume were moderately increased. 4. Blood pressure was maintained due to elevation in total peripheral resistance in all stages of heart failure. 5. Aging changes contributed markedly to the hemodynamic changes in elderly patients with heart failure.
