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[Diastolic heart failure: myth or fact?]

Letizia Conti1, René Lerch, Arnaud Perrier

  • 1Service de médecine interne générale, HUG, 1211 Genève 14. letizia.conti@hcuge.ch

Revue Medicale Suisse
|November 26, 2008
PubMed

Insights

Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF), previously diastolic heart failure, is diagnosed non-invasively. Treatment focuses on controlling hypertension, heart rate, and fluid overload.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiology
  • Internal Medicine

Context:

  • Diastolic heart failure is a common clinical diagnosis.
  • Accurate terminology is now heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF).

Purpose:

  • To outline current diagnostic and treatment strategies for HFpEF.
  • To emphasize key management principles for this condition.

Summary:

  • HFpEF can be diagnosed non-invasively using echocardiography and brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) measurements.
  • Evidence-based treatment guidelines for HFpEF are less established than for heart failure with reduced ejection fraction.
  • Key therapeutic goals include hypertension and heart rate control, alongside diuretic use for fluid overload.

Impact:

  • Improved diagnostic accuracy and understanding of HFpEF.
  • Highlights the importance of managing comorbidities and symptoms in HFpEF patients.
  • Provides a concise overview for clinicians managing patients with HFpEF.

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