What’s the difference between systolic and diastolic heart failure?
Systolic Heart Failure (SHF) is a medical condition where there are problems with your blood vessels supplying blood to your heart. SHF may occur when you have a blockage or narrowing of one of these arteries causing it not to pump enough blood through your body. A common cause of SHF is atherosclerosis, which is the buildup of fatty deposits called plaques inside your artery walls. Atherosclerosis is caused by high cholesterol levels, smoking, diabetes, obesity and other factors. Another common cause of SHF is atrial fibrillation (AF). Atrial fibrillation occurs when the electrical activity within your heart slows down. When this happens, the rhythm of your heartbeat becomes irregular. If left untreated, AF can lead to sudden death if left unchecked.
Diastolic Heart Failure (DHF) is a medical condition where there are problems with your blood vessels supplying blood to your organs. DHF may occur when there is no blockage or narrowing of any of these arteries leading to low blood flow.
DHF may also occur due to another cause such as stroke, heart attack, pulmonary embolism (PE), cancer, infection or other conditions. A common cause of DHF is cardiomyopathy, which is a severe, irreversible damage to your heart muscle.
It is important to seek medical attention right away if you experience any symptoms associated with SHF or DHF. If you are experiencing any issues with your blood vessels or organs, consult a qualified health care professional about the cause and potential treatment options.
Sources & references used in this article:
Left ventricular long axis function in diastolic heart failure is reduced in both diastole and systole: time for a redefinition? by G Yip, M Wang, Y Zhang, JWH Fung, PY Ho… – Heart, 2002 – heart.bmj.com
Left ventricular systolic performance, function, and contractility in patients with diastolic heart failure by CF Baicu, MR Zile, GP Aurigemma, WH Gaasch – Circulation, 2005 – Am Heart Assoc
Heart failure with a normal ejection fraction by JE Sanderson – Heart, 2007 – heart.bmj.com
… of left ventricular diastolic function in patients with suspected heart failure but preserved systolic function: is there a reliable echocardiographic measure of diastolic … by MC Petrie, K Hogg, L Caruana, JJV McMurray – Heart, 2004 – heart.bmj.com
“Diastolic heart failure” or heart failure caused by subtle left ventricular systolic dysfunction? by MC Petrie, L Caruana, C Berry, JJV McMurray – Heart, 2002 – heart.bmj.com
Evaluation and management of diastolic heart failure by BG Angeja, W Grossman – Circulation, 2003 – Am Heart Assoc
Diastolic heart failure can be diagnosed by comprehensive two-dimensional and Doppler echocardiography by JK Oh, L Hatle, AJ Tajik, WC Little – … of the American College of …, 2006 – onlinejacc.org
