Congestive Heart Failure With Apparently Preserved Left Ventricular Systolic Function: A 10-Year Observational Study

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Internal Medicine

Background:

• Heart failure (HF) is a complex syndrome with diverse clinical presentations.
• Distinguishing between HF with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) and HF with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) is crucial for management.
• HFpEF constitutes a significant portion of HF cases, yet its characteristics and outcomes require further elucidation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the clinical presentation and outcomes of patients with HFpEF.
• To compare outcomes between HFpEF and HFrEF.
• To identify predictors of mortality in HF patients.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of 2212 HF patients from 2003 to 2013.
• Patients categorized into two groups based on left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF): Group 1 (LVEF <50%) and Group 2 (LVEF ≥50%).
• Multivariate analysis employed to identify independent predictors of mortality.

Main Results:

• 20% of HF patients were classified as HFpEF (Group 2).
• HFpEF patients were more likely to be older, female, Arab, hypertensive, and obese.
• HFpEF was associated with lower in-hospital cardiac arrest, shock, and mortality rates compared to HFrEF.
• Independent predictors of mortality included age, ST-elevation myocardial infarction, and lack of specific medication use.

Conclusions:

• HFpEF is associated with a less severe clinical presentation and better short-term outcomes compared to HFrEF.
• Patient demographics and comorbidities differ significantly between HFpEF and HFrEF groups.
• Early administration of evidence-based medications may contribute to improved hospital outcomes in HF patients, including those with HFpEF.