Review
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World J Cardiol. Mar 26, 2010; 2(3): 58-63
Published online Mar 26, 2010. doi: 10.4330/wjc.v2.i3.58
Advances in diastolic heart failure
Xing Sheng Yang, Jing Ping Sun
Xing Sheng Yang, Jing Ping Sun, Department of Caediology, Emory University School of Medicine, 6276 Courtside Drive, Norcross, GA 30092, United States
Author contributions: Yang XS wrote the manuscript; Sun JP revised the manuscript.
Correspondence to: Xing Sheng Yang, MD, PhD, FACC, FAHA, Department of Caediology, Emory University School of Medicine, 6276 Courtside Drive, Norcross, GA 30092, United States. xingshengyang8@yahoo.com
Telephone: +1-770-7290018 Fax: +1-404-6865750
Received: February 20, 2010
Revised: March 18, 2010
Accepted: March 22, 2010
Published online: March 26, 2010
Abstract

More than 50% of people living with congestive heart failure have diastolic heart failure (DHF). Most of them are older than 70 years, and female. The prevalence of DHF has increased with time. DHF is caused by left ventricular (LV) diastolic dysfunction (DD) which is induced by diastolic dyssynchrony. Cardiac and extracardiac factors play important roles in the development of heart failure (HF) symptoms. The diagnosis of DHF is generally based on typical symptoms and signs of HF, preserved or normal LV ejection fraction, DD and no valvular abnormalities on examination, using noninvasive and invasive methodologies. The outcomes with pharmacological therapy in patients with DHF are frequently neutral in clinical trials, and prognosis still remains poor with a 5-year mortality of 42.3% after hospitalization for HF. Further trials are necessary.

Keywords: B-type natriuretic peptide; Diastolic dysfunction; Diastolic dyssynchrony normal ejection fraction; Diastolic heart failure; Echocardiography; Heart failure