摘要：Backgr.und: Little is known about the management of elder.y patients with congstive hear. failur.(CHF) although they r.pr.sent the major.ty of the CHF population. Ther.for., the TIME-CHF study was set up(1) to evaluate the medical management of ver. old patients(≥75 year.) with CHF compar.d with younger.patients(60-74 year.),(2) to compar. an intensified with a standar. tr.atment appr.ach, and(3) to differ.ntiate between systolic and diastolic dysfunction(ejection fr.ction ≤45%vs >45%). Methods: In a pr.spective single-blinded multicenter.tr.al, 824 symptomatic patients, CHF hospitalization within the last year.and elevated NT-BNP, ar. r.ndomized to an intensified ver.us a standar. medical ther.py. Tr.atment str.tegies follow the published guidelines with the aim to r.duce symptoms to NYHA class ≤II(standar.) or. additionally, NT-BNP levels below twice the upper.limit of nor.al(intensified). The pr.mar. end points ar. 18-month hospitalization-fr.e sur.ival and quality of life. r.sults: By the end of 2004, 297 patients have been included, 147 r.ndomized to intensified and 150 to standar. ther.py. Mean age in the older.age gr.up was 82±4 year.(n=174) and 69±4 year. in the younger.gr.up(n=123), r.spectively. Ejection fr.ction was >45%in 26%and 10%, r.spectively. Significant comor.idities wer. pr.sent in 93%of patients. Conclusion: TIME-CHF will be the fir.t pr.spective r.ndomized tr.al to compr.hensively study the management of elder.y patients with CHF. It will pr.vide unique infor.ation compar.ng two tr.atment str.tegies in two age gr.ups ir.espective of ejection fr.ction r.gar.ing pr.gnosis, quality of life, as well as r.sour.e utilization and costs.