Skeletal muscle (dys)function in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction.

Abstract

Skeletal muscle dysfunction contributes to exercise intolerance, which manifests as dyspnea and fatiguability in patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). This review aims to summarize the current understanding of skeletal muscle dysfunction in HFpEF. Animal and human studies in HFpEF provide insights into the pathophysiological alterations in skeletal muscle structure and function with the identification of several molecular mechanisms. Exercise training and novel pharmacological therapies that target skeletal muscle are proposed as therapeutic interventions to treat HFpEF. There is evidence that skeletal muscle dysfunction plays a pathophysiological role in HFpEF. However, precise mechanistic insights are needed to understand the contribution of skeletal muscle dysfunction in HFpEF.