This stiffness gets in the way of the hearts ability to fill up with blood between heartbeats.
What Is Diastolic Dysfunction?
This disrupts the flow of blood to and from the organs of the body.
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The two parts of the cardiac cycle aresystoleand diastole:
How Does Diastolic Dysfunction Affect the Body?
The blood thats returning to the heart can “dam up” inside the organs.
It can also cause the blood pressure in the lungs to get very high (pulmonary hypertension).
If the fluid pools in the legs or abdomen, it can cause swelling (edema).
Some people will also feel more tired (fatigued) than usual.
What Is Diastolic Heart Failure?
Diastolic heart failure is when diastolic dysfunction gets so bad that a person starts having symptoms of heart failure.
At first, diastolic dysfunction may not cause symptoms.
However, diastolic dysfunction tends to get worse over time.
“Systolic dysfunction” is another name for a weakening of the heart muscle.
It happens with more typical forms ofheart failure.
Some cardiologists call diastolic heart failure heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF)."
Who Gets Diastolic Dysfunction?
Diastolic dysfunction is common, especially in people over 45 years of age.
Their heart failure is also more likely to be standard congestive heart failure than diastolic heart failure.
What Causes Diastolic Dysfunction?
Symptoms
People with diastolic dysfunction usually have no obvious symptoms.
Once diastolic heart failure sets in, the main symptom is shortness of breath (dyspnea).
These episodes are commonly called flashpulmonary edema.
Diagnosis
Diastolic dysfunction and heart failure are diagnosed with a test called echocardiography.
In exercise RHC, a catheter with monitors is placed in a vein and advanced to the heart.
Measurements are taken during and after a standard exercise protocol.
If a person has acute pulmonary edema, diuretics (such as Lasix) are the usual treatment.
For some people with diastolic heart failure, SGLT2 inhibitors andangiotensin-receptor neprilysin inhibitors(ARNIs) have shown benefit.
Over time, it can lead to heart failure.
Get our printable guide for your next doctor’s appointment to help you ask the right questions.
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Aurigemma GP, Gaasch WH.Clinical practice.
Diastolic heart failure.N Engl J Med.
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PMID: 20661322; PMCID: PMC2889378.
