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Heart failure with normal ejection fraction (HFNEF): is it worth considering?

Coralie Blanche1, Thierry Fumeaux, Ralf Polikar

  • 1Internal Medicine and Intensiv Care Unit, GHOL, Regional Hospital Nyon, Nyon, Switzerland.

Swiss Medical Weekly
|December 25, 2009
PubMed

Insights

Heart failure with normal ejection fraction (HFNEF) affects many patients and has new diagnostic criteria. This review covers diagnosis, pathophysiology, and management of HFNEF.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiology
  • Internal Medicine

Background:

  • A significant number of heart failure patients exhibit normal ventricular ejection fraction on echocardiography.
  • This condition, previously termed diastolic heart failure, is now known as heart failure with normal ejection fraction (HFNEF) or heart failure with preserved ejection fraction.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To discuss the diagnostic criteria for HFNEF, as recently defined by the European Society of Cardiology.
  • To explore emerging aspects of HFNEF pathophysiology.
  • To review the management strategies for HFNEF, which differ from those for systolic dysfunction.

Main Methods:

  • Review of current literature and guidelines.
  • Analysis of diagnostic steps for HFNEF.
  • Discussion of pathophysiological mechanisms.
  • Evaluation of management approaches.

Main Results:

  • New diagnostic criteria for HFNEF have been established by the European Society of Cardiology.
  • Understanding of HFNEF pathophysiology is evolving.
  • Management of HFNEF presents unique challenges compared to HF with systolic dysfunction.

Conclusions:

  • Accurate diagnosis of HFNEF is crucial.
  • Further research into pathophysiology and management is warranted.
  • Adherence to new guidelines will improve patient care for HFNEF.

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