Abstract

While peripheral vascular dysfunction is well‐described in heart failure patients with reduced ejection fraction, disease‐related changes in vascular function in heart failure patients with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) remains unclear. Thus, in six HFpEF patients (73 ± 4 yrs) and six healthy controls matched for age (74 ± 4 yrs), sex, and brachial artery (BA) diameter, ultrasound Doppler was utilized to determine BA flow‐mediated vasodilation (FMD) and reactive hyperemia (RH) following 5 minutes of suprasystolic cuff occlusion. BA FMD was lower in HFpEF patients (3.9 ± 0.9 %) compared to controls (6.0 ± 1.0 %). Likewise, the RH response, calculated as the cumulative BA blood flow (area under the curve), was reduced by ~50% in patients with HFpEF compared to controls (385 ± 56 vs. 698 ± 104 ml, HFpEF vs. controls). These results indicate a clear impairment in peripheral vascular function in patients with HFpEF beyond that observed with healthy aging, providing new insight into the pathophysiology of this understudied disease.Grant Funding Source: Supported by NIH PO1 HL‐091830, VA RR&D E6910R, and AHA 0835209N.

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