Diagnosis of Wild-Type Transthyretin Cardiomyopathy and Initiation of Pathogenetic Therapy in an Elderly Patient: A Clinical Observation

Abstract

The article presents a case study of an 80-year-old patient with wild-type transthyretin amyloid cardiomyopathy (ATTRwt-CM). This case demonstrates the importance of comprehensive examination in cases of unexplained heart failure in elderly patients, and illustrates the effectiveness of tafamidis treatment for patients over 80 years old. Transthyretin Amyloid Cardiomyopathy (ATTR-CM), is an infiltrative heart condition caused by the deposition of amyloid fibrils within the extracellular space of the myocardium. This condition leads to severe heart failure, which is often found in older patients and is frequently diagnosed at later stages due to comorbidities, masking symptoms under other conditions, and severe geriatric status. Without treatment, the prognosis for this condition is poor, with heart damage being the leading cause of death, and with an average survival time of only 3.6 years after diagnosis. Early diagnosis of ATTR-CM allows for timely initiation of pathogenetic therapy aimed at stabilizing the progression of the disease, improving the quality of life and reducing mortality.