Understanding Diastolic Heart Failure: Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment

2023-06-15 14:37:00

Heart failure (cardiac insufficiency) is one of the heart diseases with the most frequent inpatient hospital stays in Germany: around 430,000 hospital admissions annually. At the same time, it is associated with a high level of suffering for those affected. There are two forms of cardiac insufficiency: In systolic cardiac insufficiency, the cardiac output is reduced. In diastolic heart failure, the heart muscle is thickened and cannot relax and stretch enough in the filling phase, diastole, to fill with enough blood. The heart loses elasticity. As a result, despite good pumping performance, less blood gets into the body. The body tissues are insufficiently supplied with oxygen and nutrients. Patients suffer from shortness of breath, rapid exhaustion, chest pain and circulatory problems, including fainting.

High blood pressure, atrial fibrillation, narrowed coronary arteries, so-called coronary artery disease (CHD) and type 2 diabetes mellitus often accompany diastolic heart failure. “They are not only important as comorbidities, they are also partly responsible for the fact that this cardiac insufficiency develops in the first place,” says Professor Dr. Rolf Wachter, deputy director of the clinic and polyclinic at the University Clinic in Leipzig. Since diastolic heart failure is unknown to many people, although it is the most common form of heart failure in older people, it is the focus of current research HEART today-Issue 2/2023 with the title topic “Help for the weak heart”. You can call it free of charge on Tel. [phone] or at www.herzstiftung.de/bestellung be requested. The Heart Foundation offers further information on diastolic heart failure https://herzstiftung.de/…

High blood pressure is the most common accompaniment to diastolic heart failure

Most people with diastolic heart failure have additional diseases. Frequent companions include high blood pressure, atrial fibrillation, CHD and type 2 diabetes mellitus. For the further course of cardiac insufficiency, not only the therapy of the cardiac insufficiency is important, but also the targeted treatment of the accompanying diseases. Hypertension most often accompanies diastolic heart failure. “Nine out of ten of these patients have high blood pressure, often for many years and often long before the weakness of the heart becomes apparent,” says Professor Dr. Rolf Wachter. “It has been proven that a well-controlled blood pressure can improve cardiac insufficiency. Keeping an eye on the blood pressure values ​​is important both for the prevention and for the treatment of cardiac insufficiency.”

Atrial fibrillation and CHD worsen diastolic heart failure

Another common comorbidity of diastolic heart failure is atrial fibrillation. According to the heart expert, the cardiac arrhythmia occurs in more than half of all patients and, like high blood pressure, is often a precursor to a weak heart. Atrial fibrillation significantly worsens the prognosis of cardiac insufficiency. “As a result of the cardiac arrhythmia, the heart loses regarding 15 percent of its capacity,” says Professor Wachter. “If atrial fibrillation is diagnosed, it should also be examined at the same time whether there is cardiac insufficiency.” In addition, more than 50 percent of those affected with diastolic cardiac insufficiency suffer from a circulatory disorder in the heart disease vessels, known as CHD. If the constricted coronary arteries are treated with medication or surgically expanded as part of the treatment, the symptoms of cardiac insufficiency usually also improve.

How diabetes mellitus and diastolic heart failure are related

About a third of all patients with diastolic cardiac insufficiency have type 2 diabetes mellitus. The “sugar disease” is a great risk for heart patients, since the excessively high blood sugar levels cause damage to the small and large blood vessels and to the heart muscle itself. “If cardiac insufficiency and diabetes occur together, the risk of having to be treated in hospital because of cardiac insufficiency or of dying from it is significantly higher,” warns Professor Wachter. Blood sugar that is well controlled with medication is just as important for the course of cardiac insufficiency as the treatment of high blood pressure, atrial fibrillation and CHD.

Current HERZ today: Request a sample copy now!

The current issue of the magazine HEART today “Help for the weak heart” presents other accompanying diseases of diastolic heart failure and provides detailed information regarding causes, diagnosis and therapy. A free sample copy is regarding https://www.herzstiftung.de/bestellung,phone [phone] or by email at [e-mail]. The Heart Foundation offers further information on diastolic heart failure https://herzstiftung.de/diastolische-herzinsuffizienz

The magazine is published four times a year and is aimed at cardiovascular patients and their families. The articles are written by independent cardiac experts.

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