Article

About 50% of patients with heart failure (HF) have preserved ejection fraction
(HFpEF) which is especially common in elderly people with highly prevalent
co-morbid conditions. HFpEF is usually defined as an ejection fraction equal to
or greater than 50%, although some studies have used a limit as low as 40%. The
prevalence of this syndrome is expected to increase over the next decades. The
associated impact on mortality and hospital readmissions has made of this entity
a major public health issue. Despite the fact that mortality and
re-hospitalisation rates of HFpEF are similar to the syndrome of HF with reduced
ejection fraction (HFrEF), currently there is no available evidence-based therapy
as effective as is the case for HFrEF. Exercise intolerance is the principal
clinical feature in HFpEF. The pathophysiological mechanisms behind impaired
exercise capacity in these patients are complex and not yet fully elucidated.
Current guidelines and consensus documents recommend the implementation of
exercise training in HFpEF; however, they are based mostly on results from a few
small trials evaluating surrogate endpoints such as exercise capacity and quality
of life. The aim of this work was to review the current evidence that supports
the effect of the different modalities of physical therapies
in HFpEF.
CI - (c) The European Society of Cardiology 2014

Langue : ANGLAIS