Diastolic Heart Failure

• Increase blood pressure
• Diabetes
• Coronary artery disease
• Metabolic syndrome

• Shortness of breath
• Fatigue
• Less ability to exercise 
• Symptoms of heart failure with small stress. 

• Taking cardiotoxic drug therapy
• Alcohol abuse
• Rheumatic fever
• History of Family members with cardiomyopathy
• Smoking
• Using nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs 
• Systemic stressors such as anemia, fever, infections, etc
• Arrhythmia
• Increase intake of salt
• Aging

• Checking your medical history
• Conducting some laboratory tests on you such as blood test, exercise test, or stress test.
• You will also undergo an echocardiogram to check for diastolic dysfunction
• Electrocardiogram 
• Sometimes, a heart catheterization is advised. 
• Use of radionuclide angiography in people having difficulty undergoing echocardiography
• Chest x-ray.

• Eating healthy diet
• Exercising regularly
• Avoiding been overweight
• Avoid smoking 
• Medications that could help ease swellings and control pulmonary congestion will be administered such as diuretics, mineralocorticoids, etc.
• Medications also to decrease blood pressure will be given
• Heart rate can be controlled using beta-blockers such as nondihydropyridine calcium channel blockers or digoxin.
• Reduced alcohol intake
• Surgery or heart transplant in severe cases.

Symptoms

DIASTOLIC HEART FAILURE SYMPTOMS

The symptoms of diastolic heart failure include:

• Shortness of breath 
• Easily tired
• Swellings at the feet, ankles, legs, or abdomen
• Fast and irregular beating of the heart
• Frequent urination
• Lack of appetite
• Dizziness
• Lack of focus and concentration.

Causes

CAUSES OF DIASTOLIC HEART FAILURE

There are several causes of diastolic heart failure and they include:

• Loss of Elasticity in Blood Vessels

The common cause of diastolic heart failure is the loss of elasticity in the major blood vessels which makes them stiff.

• Increase in Blood Pressure

The heart is overworked when there is an increase in blood pressure as more blood needs to be pumped to get blood to every part of your body. As a result, your heart muscles may stiffen as they get thicker and larger to accommodate the increase in workload.

• Diabetes

People with diabetes usually have thickened walls of the heart.

• Coronary Artery Disease

Coronary artery disease could affect the flow of blood to your heart muscles and cause ischemia which can prevent the rate at which the heart relaxes and fills with blood

• Obesity or Lack of Exercise

Lack of exercise and accumulation of fatty tissues in the body could cause diastolic heart failure.

• Aortic Stenosis

These occur when the aortic valve narrows and thereby causing the left ventricle to thicken, affecting its ability to fill with blood.

• Pericardial Disease

This occurs when the pericardium that is the sac covering the heart is affected or inflamed leading to a thickened pericardium or pericardial constriction and can affect the heart's ability to fill.

• Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy

This is a genetically inherited abnormality characterized by the thickening of the walls of the left ventricle.

FAQ

How long can I live with diastolic heart failure?

According to research, the expected life expectancy of people with diastolic heart failure is not yet certain but estimated to be less than 5years with a record of 90% dying within one year after diagnosis.

What are the signs of end-stage congestive heart failure?

The end-stage of diastolic congestive heart failure is usually the irreversible stage. They include dyspnea which is shortness of breath, arrhythmia which irregular heartbeat, persistent cough, or wheezing with blood-stained phlegm.

What are the foods that help people with diastolic dysfunction?

These food include salmon fish, leafy greens like kale, garlic, seafood, potatoes, liver, sardines

What are the foods to avoid by people with diastolic dysfunction?

Food that tends to increase the risk of diastolic heart failure includes bacon, sausage, processed snacks, energy drinks, foods with high-calorie contents, pizza, baked foods, and generally foods with increased salt or saturated fats and refined sugar.

What is the difference between systolic and diastolic heart failure?

Systolic heart failure occurs when the heart is not contracting properly while diastolic heart failure is due to the inability of the heart to relax properly.