Diastolic Heart Failure Clinical Trials

Abstract

Congestive heart failure (CHF) affects nearly five million Americans, and more than 550,000 new cases are diagnosed each year.1 The leading cause for hospitalization in those over 65 years of age, CHF accounts for more than 800, 000 hospital visits each year and carries a 20-30% risk of death in the year following the first visit.1 CHF may occur in the setting of either reduced ejection fraction (LVEF), systolic heart failure (SHF) or normal LVEF, diastolic heart failure (DHF). Although DHF is also known as heart failure with preserved or normal LVEF, for the purposes of this review it will simply be referred to as DHF. Community based epidemiology studies have demonstrated that more than 50 % of people living with CHF have DHF.2-3 The Cardiovascular Health Study demonstrated that DHF is even more prevalent in individuals over 65 years of age. In this study, 69% of men and 90% of women with CHF had DHF defined as current heart failure symptoms and EF greater than 45%.4 In fact, the prevalence of DHF has been increasing since 1986 and is attributed to a combination of factors, including an increase in the elderly population, increased awareness of the condition, increased detection due to the development of non-invasive echocardiography diagnostic techniques, and improvements in the treatment of coronary artery disease and other cardiovascular diseases that has resulted in preservation of LVEF.