Heart failure (HF) is a common clinical syndrome representing the end-stage of a number of different cardiac diseases. It can result from any structural or functional cardiac disorder that impairs the ability of the ventricle to fill with or eject blood. There are two mechanisms by which reduced cardiac output and HF occur: systolic dysfunction and diastolic dysfunction. The most common causes of systolic dysfunction are coronary (ischemic) heart disease, idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM), hypertension, and valvular disease. Diastolic dysfunction can be induced by many of the same conditions that lead to systolic dysfunction. The most common causes are hypertension, ischemic heart disease, hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy, and restrictive cardiomyopathy. However, many patients with symptoms suggestive of HF (shortness of breath, ankle edema, or paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea) who have intact left ventricular systolic function may not have diastolic dysfunction, but have other etiologies that can account for their symptoms, including obesity, lung disease, or occult coronary ischemia.
Posted on: Tue, 18 Jun 2013 23:42:13 +0000
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