ANMCO position paper: diagnosis and treatment of heart failure with preserved systolic function

Abstract

Heart failure is the leading cardiovascular cause of hospitalization with an increasing prevalence, especially in older patients. About 50% of patients with heart failure have preserved ventricular function, a form of heart failure that, until a few years ago, was orphaned by pharmacological treatments effective in reducing hospitalization and mortality. New trials, which have tested the use of gliflozins in patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF), have for the first time demonstrated their effectiveness in changing the natural history of this insidious and frequent form of heart failure. Therefore, diagnosing those patients early is crucial to provide the best treatment. Moreover, the diagnosis is influenced by the patient’s comorbidities, and some HFpEF patients have symptoms common to other rare diseases that, if unrecognized, develop an unfavourable prognosis. This position paper aims to provide the clinician with a useful tool for diagnosing and treating patients with HFpEF, guiding the clinician towards the most appropriate diagnostic and therapeutic pathway.