The Heart Failure with Preserved Ejection Fraction Conundrum-Redefining the Problem and Finding Common Ground?

Abstract

Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) or diastolic heart failure (DHF) makes up more than half of all congestive heart failure presentations (CHF). With an ageing population, the case load and the financial burden is projected to increase, even to epidemic proportions. CHF hospitalizations add too much of the financial and infrastructure strain. Unlike systolic heart failure (SHF), much is still either uncertain or unknown. Specifically, in epidemiology, the disease burden is established; however, risk factors and pathophysiological associations are less clear; diagnostic tools are based on rigid parameters without the ability to accurately monitor treatments effects and disease progression; finally, therapeutics are similar to SHF but without prognostic data for efficacy. The last several years have seen guidelines changing to account for greater epidemiological observations. Most of these remain general observation of shortness of breath symptom matched to static echocardiographic parameters. The introduction of exercise diastolic stress test has been welcome and warrants greater focus. HFpEF is likely to see new thinking in the coming decades. This review provides some of perspective on this topic.