BMC Geriatrics · Nov 18, 2025

Prevalence of heart failure stages in elderly population: from a community-dwelling elderly people survey

By Huang M, Wang M, Gong X et al.

BACKGROUND: Heart failure (HF) is a major public health concern in China, but there is a lack of epidemiological data on the prevalence of early-stage HF in the elderly. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of different stages of HF in individuals aged ≥ 60 years in a community-based survey. METHODS: This cross-sectional study enrolled 7,640 participants from a community. Basic demographic information, NT-proBNP, troponin T (TnT) levels, and echocardiographic data were collected. Participants were classified into four stages: Healthy, Stage A, Stage B, and Stage C. Prevalence and associated risk factors were analyzed. RESULTS: The mean age was 70.2 years, with 54.5% being female. The prevalence of Stage A and B was 44.0% and 27.8%, respectively. In Stage A, hypertension was the most common risk factor (80.89%), followed by diabetes (29.75%) and obesity (18.08%). In Stage B and C, 97.2% and 88.2% had an ejection fraction ≥ 50%. The prevalence of Stage B increased with age (P < 0.001), and women had higher prevalence of Stage B compared to men (29.69% vs. 25.65%, P < 0.001). Female gender (OR 1.352, P < 0.001), older age (OR 1.096, P < 0.001), atrial fibrillation/flutter (OR 2.853, P < 0.001), and coronary artery disease (OR 1.473, P < 0.001) were identified as significant risk factors for Stage B. CONCLUSIONS: This survey revealed a high prevalence of Stage A and B HF in the elderly, with most Stage B individuals having an ejection fraction ≥ 50%, emphasizing the need for targeted prevention and management strategies for at-risk groups.

doi.org/10.1186/s12877-025-06631-z Open access PubMed 41254490 Populations