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Updated: Aug 25, 2026

Pulsed Wave Doppler Assessment of Diastolic Dysfunction in the ZSF-1 Rat Model of Pulmonary Hypertension Due to Left Heart Disease
Published on: May 22, 2026
Left ventricular diastolic dysfunction: risks, identification, and treatment
1Medical Affairs, AstraZeneca LP, 1800 Concord Pike, Wilmington, DE 19850, USA. robert.lamb@astrazeneca.com
Insights
Untreated cardiovascular risks like hypertension and diabetes can lead to chronic heart failure. Emerging clinical evidence supports effective treatments for heart failure with preserved systolic function (left ventricular diastolic dysfunction).
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Heart Failure Research
Background:
- Cardiovascular diseases (hypertension, diabetes, myocardial infarction) untreated increase chronic heart failure risk.
- Chronic heart failure with preserved systolic function (left ventricular diastolic dysfunction) lacks extensive clinical trial evidence compared to systolic dysfunction.
- Treatment for diastolic dysfunction has historically relied on understanding pathophysiology and patient symptoms.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review risks, identification, and therapeutic rationale for left ventricular diastolic dysfunction.
- To discuss emerging clinical evidence supporting treatments for diastolic dysfunction.
- To analyze implications from ongoing and completed trials like CHARM-Preserved and DIG.
Main Methods:
- Review of existing literature and clinical trial data.
- Analysis of risk factors and diagnostic approaches for diastolic dysfunction.
- Evaluation of therapeutic strategies and their supporting evidence.
Main Results:
- Accumulating clinical evidence from trials like CHARM-Preserved and DIG supports effective treatments for diastolic dysfunction.
- Ongoing trials are expected to provide further insights into managing this condition.
- Understanding pathophysiology and patient presentation remains crucial for treatment decisions.
Conclusions:
- Effective treatments for left ventricular diastolic dysfunction are becoming more defined.
- Clinical trial results are crucial for evidence-based management of diastolic dysfunction.
- Further research and ongoing trials will refine therapeutic choices for heart failure with preserved systolic function.
Abstract:
Risk factors of cardiovascular disease, such as hypertension, diabetes, and myocardial infarction, if left untreated, will increase the risk of the development of chronic heart failure. Much is known about the pathophysiology and effective treatments of chronic heart failure from left ventricular systolic dysfunction; however, little clinical trial evidence exists concerning benefits of treating patients with chronic heart failure and preserved systolic function, also known as left ventricular diastolic dysfunction. Rather, an understanding of the pathophysiology and patient signs and symptoms has usually dictated choice of treatments. With the results of ongoing trials, as well as the Candesartan in Heart Failure: Assessment of Reduction in Mortality and Morbidity (CHARM)-Preserved and the Digitalis Investigation Group (DIG) trials, clinical evidence is accumulating to support effective treatments in patients with left ventricular diastolic dysfunction. The focus of this review is to discuss the risks of, identification of, and rationale for therapeutic choices being employed for treating left ventricular diastolic dysfunction and implications from studies that may support these choices.
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