Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction: current understandings and challenges

Heart failure (HF) is the leading cause of hospitalization among older adults and the prevalence is growing with the aging populations in western countries. Approximately one-half of patients with HF have preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). In contrast to HF with reduced EF (HFrEF), there is no proven effective treatment for HFpEF. The pathophysiology of HFpEF is complex, and the dominant mechanisms leading to symptoms of HF often vary between afflicted patients, confounding efforts to apply "one-size fits all" types of therapeutic approaches. Current treatment strategies focus on control of volume status and comorbidities, but future research aimed at individualized therapies holds promise to improve outcomes in this increasingly prevalent form of cardiac failure.