Diastolic heart failure

The rhythmic contraction and relaxation of the heart supply the body with the appropriate amount of blood. If the pump function deteriorates, heart failure occurs. After a symptom-free period of varying length, the clinical case of decompensatio cardiaca develops. The pathophysiological basis of the disease is abnormal systolic and/or diastolic function. The pathophysiology and therapy of systolic heart failure is well-known, however, the consequence of impaired diastolic function has not been fully revealed. Both cardiogenic shock and pulmonary edema can be caused by acute left heart failure. The main difference between the two disorders is that while cardiogenic shock is caused by systolic dysfunction, pulmonary edema is the consequence of impaired diastolic function. The importance of diastolic dysfunction is highlighted by the fact that the disorder can be caused by the most frequent diseases (hypertension, diabetes mellitus, coronary heart disease, myocardiac infarction). Consequently, in case of risk factors, it is very important to consider the possibility of diastolic dysfunction and be aware of the diagnostic and therapeutic options.