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Endothelial function and arterial compliance are not impaired in subjects with heart failure of non-ischemic origin

Ashish Shah1, Eugenia Gkaliagkousi, James M Ritter

  • 1Department of Clinical Pharmacology, Cardiovascular Division, School of Medicine, King's College London, London, UK.

Journal of Cardiac Failure
|February 10, 2010
PubMed

Insights

Heart failure without ischemic heart disease does not show endothelial dysfunction or arterial stiffness. Non-ischemic heart failure patients had normal flow-mediated dilation and vascular compliance, unlike those with ischemic heart disease.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiology
  • Vascular Biology
  • Heart Failure Research

Background:

  • Patients with heart failure and ischemic heart disease (IHD) often have endothelial dysfunction and increased arterial stiffness.
  • This study investigated if these vascular abnormalities are present in heart failure of nonischemic origin.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To compare endothelial function and arterial stiffness in patients with heart failure due to ischemic heart disease (IHD) versus nonischemic dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM).
  • To determine if nonischemic heart failure is associated with endothelial dysfunction or increased arterial stiffness.

Main Methods:

  • Compared 11 IHD patients, 12 DCM patients, and 16 healthy controls.
  • Assessed endothelium-dependent (flow-mediated dilation, FMD) and independent (glyceryl trinitrate, GTN) function via brachial artery ultrasound.
  • Measured vascular compliance using carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (PWV) and augmentation index (AIx).

Main Results:

  • FMD was impaired in IHD patients but not in DCM patients compared to controls.
  • PWV was increased in IHD patients but not in DCM patients compared to controls.
  • GTN-induced dilatation and AIx were similar across all groups.

Conclusions:

  • Heart failure of nonischemic etiology (DCM) is not associated with endothelial dysfunction or abnormal arterial compliance.
  • These findings suggest distinct pathophysiological mechanisms in ischemic versus nonischemic heart failure.
  • Larger studies are needed to confirm these results.
Abstract

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