Incidence and aetiology of heart failure; a population-based study

Within the general population, new cases of heart failure largely occur in the elderly, and the incidence is higher in men than women. The single most common aetiology is coronary heart disease, but in a third of cases the aetiology cannot be determined on the basis of non-invasive investigation alone. To be relevant to clinical practice, future clinical trials in heart failure should not exclude the elderly.