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[Diastolic heart failure:a disease in search of his own identity]

Luigi Tarantini1, Pompilio Faggiano, Gianni Cioffi

  • 1Divisione di Cardiologia, O.C. S. Martino, Viale Europa 22, 32100 Belluno-I.

Monaldi Archives for Chest Disease = Archivio Monaldi Per Le Malattie Del Torace
|June 28, 2003
PubMed

Insights

Diagnosing diastolic heart failure (DHF) is challenging, especially in patients with preserved ejection fraction. An integrated approach using clinical evaluation, echocardiography, BNP, and exercise tests can improve diagnostic accuracy for DHF.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiology
  • Heart Failure Research

Context:

  • Congestive heart failure (CHF) epidemiological surveys indicate 30-70% of patients present with normal or mildly depressed left ventricular ejection fraction.
  • These patients are often presumed to have diastolic heart failure (DHF).

Purpose:

  • To address the diagnostic challenges and contested existence of isolated DHF.
  • To propose an integrated diagnostic strategy for suspected DHF.

Summary:

  • Evaluating diastolic function is difficult due to limitations in current tests and lack of a definitive marker.
  • Confounding factors from co-existing chronic diseases complicate diagnosis.
  • An integrated approach combining clinical assessment, Doppler echocardiography, brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) levels, and functional capacity tests (e.g., cardiopulmonary exercise test, 6-minute walk test) is suggested.

Impact:

  • This strategy aims to overcome diagnostic difficulties in identifying patients with diastolic heart failure.
  • Improved diagnostic accuracy can lead to more targeted and effective treatment strategies for DHF patients.
  • This research contributes to a better understanding and management of heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF).

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