Diagnosis of heart failure in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Abstract

Introduction. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and chronic heart failure (CHF) frequently co-occur in clinical practice, presenting challenges in differential diagnosis due to shared risk factors, an adverse comorbid landscape, and nonspecific symptoms. The coexistence of COPD and CHF significantly affects the prognosis for both conditions because of their mutual exacerbation. Evaluating the heart's structural and functional status in COPD patients is essential for early identification of cardiovascular complications, thereby improving prognosis and reducing mortality.Aim. To review the latest global literature on diagnosing heart failure in COPD patients. Materials and methods. This review compiles data from literature sources, primarily from the last five years, sourced from PubMed and eLibrary, incorporating older publications as necessary.Results. The review discusses current laboratory diagnostics and medical imaging techniques for identifying heart failure, crucial for preventing severe complications. Primarily, transthoracic echocardiography stands out as the most accessible and cost-effective method, playing a pivotal role in diagnosing and monitoring heart failure today.Conclusion. Heart failure is a subject of extensive publication with a detailed description of laboratory and instrumental methods, including the latest advances in magnetic resonance and computed tomography. Transthoracic echocardiography continues to be the "gold standard" in both the diagnostic and prognostic assessment of heart failure-related changes.