Heart Failure with Preserved Ejection Fraction

Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) is a heterogeneous condition affecting up to 50% of patients hospitalized for heart failure. It is characterized by an ejection fraction of 50% or greater, with symptoms of heart failure and evidence of cardiac structural abnormalities. The prevalence of HFpEF has increased over the past few decades due to aging populations and rising rates of comorbidities such as obesity, hypertension, and diabetes. Diagnosis is complex, requiring exclusion of potential confounding conditions, echocardiographic assessments, and biomarker testing. Current treatment focuses on symptom management and hospitalization prevention, with no therapy conclusively reducing mortality. Sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors have shown benefits in reducing hospitalizations, and emerging therapies like glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists show promise in improving symptoms, exercise capacity, and cardiometabolic health. The guideline-directed management of HFpEF includes diuretics for congestion relief, blood pressure control, and lifestyle interventions. Ongoing research aims to improve diagnosis and discover disease-modifying treatments for this complex syndrome.

Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) is a heterogeneous condition affecting up to 50% of patients hospitalized for heart failure. It is characterized by an ejection fraction of 50% or greater, with symptoms of heart failure and evidence of cardiac structural abnormalities. The prevalence of HFpEF has increased over the past few decades due to aging populations and rising rates of comorbidities such as obesity, hypertension, and diabetes. Diagnosis is complex, requiring exclusion of potential confounding conditions, echocardiographic assessments, and biomarker testing. Current treatment focuses on symptom management and hospitalization prevention, with no therapy conclusively reducing mortality. Sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors have shown benefits in reducing hospitalizations, and emerging therapies like glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists show promise in improving symptoms, exercise capacity, and cardiometabolic health. The guideline-directed management of HFpEF includes diuretics for congestion relief, blood pressure control, and lifestyle interventions. Ongoing research aims to improve diagnosis and discover disease-modifying treatments for this complex syndrome.