Diastolic heart failure

Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (i.e. diastolic heart failure) accounts for about half of heart failure cases. The aim of this review is to reflect current knowledge regarding the epidemiology, pathophysiology and treatment. Diastolic heart failure patients are principally elderly and predominantly female. Numerous pathophysiological alterations in this disease have been shown and recent therapeutic recommendations include control of cardiovascular risk factors and symptoms. New therapeutic options, such as inhibition of late sodium current, aldosterone receptor blockade, combined inhibition of AT1 receptor and the enzyme neprilysin, and phosphodiesterase 5 inhibition are discussed in this review and ongoing clinical trials are also briefly presented. Diastolic heart failure remains a cardiac disease which is difficult to treat; however, new study results allow a better definition of a population of patients who could benefit from specific therapies.