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Pulmonary hypertension in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction: a target for therapy?

Patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) have an increased mortality and morbidity similar to patients with systolic heart failure and reduced ejection fraction.1 The incidence of HFpEF is increasing,2 and roughly 30% to 50% of all patients with heart failure have a normal ejection fraction.3 The underlying pathophysiology is increased left ventricular diastolic stiffness that leads to high filling pressures.4,5 Additionally, left ventricular hypertrophy,6 accumulation of cardiac collagen,7 endothelial dysfunction,8 a shift in titin isoform, and increased passive stiffness of cardiac myocytes9 all contribute to these changes. For reasons that are yet uncertain, a subset of patients with HFpEF will go on to develop pulmonary hypertension (PH). Patients with HFpEF and PH can be subdivided into those with a normal pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR) and those with an increased PVR and pulmonary arterial remodeling. In fact, patients with HFpEF account for a significant percentage of patients with PH and right-sided heart dysfunction.10

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Importantly, both PH and right ventricular dysfunction are associated with decreased survival compared with HFpEF patients without PH.11 Although the underlying pathophysiology is poor left ventricular diastolic compliance, treatment focused on improving stiffness has been lacking, and management of patients with HFpEF has focused on control of factors known to exert effects on left ventricular end-diastolic pressure. The main emphasis has been on aggressive treatment of systemic blood pressure and heart rate, limiting pressure and volume overload of …