[Epidemiology and prognosis of heart failure]

Heart failure (HF) is a major and growing health problem in western communities. Recent data indicate that more than 50% of patients with the clinical syndrome of HF have a preserved left ventricular ejection fraction (HF with preserved ejection fraction, HFpEF). In contrast to the calculated expectations, the observed incidence of HF is rising. Despite the fact that the relative proportion of patients with preserved left ventricular function is also increasing, other factors, such as ageing of the population and the concomitant change of compound risk factors may also contribute to the actual rise in the incidence of HF. Patients with HF suffer from reduced exercise capacity, impaired quality of life and also from recurrent hospitalization due to HF. Over the past decades, an increase of recurrent HF events has been documented. In contrast to earlier reports in which HFpEF was considered to be more benign than HF with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF), recent data suggest that once hospitalized for HF, patients with HFpEF and those with HFrEF have a comparable prognosis in terms of morbidity and mortality. Despite increasing clinical and economic relevance, no treatment has yet been shown to convincingly reduce mortality in HFpEF. In contrast, strategies for improving survival have now been established for HFrEF. The problem of HF will continue to be major challenge for the healthcare systems in western communities; therefore, consolidated clinical research is necessary to further improve therapeutic strategies for HFrEF and to generally establish treatment options for HFpEF.