Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction: disease burden for patients, caregivers, and the health-care system

ABSTRACT

Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) will soon become the most prevalent form of HF because of an aging population and an accompanying increase in the number of risk factors for this disease. The high frequency of comorbidities typical of this population contributes to an increased risk for hospitalization and death. It is also partially responsible for the symptomatic deterioration that results in hospitalization and impaired quality of life and functional capacity in patients. The effects of HFpEF are felt by patients and their caregivers, who might experience detriment to their own health and their social and working lives. Financial burden is associated with HFpEF, stemming from hospitalization and long-term care costs, as well as absenteeism from work in the case of caregivers. Early identification of patients at risk and aggressive management are key to preventing this disease and its progression.

KEYWORDS:

• Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction
• disease burden
• quality of life
• caregiver burden
• health-care resource utilization

Acknowledgments

Medical writing and editorial assistance were provided by Traci Stuve, MA, and Kelly Jeng, PharmD, of ApotheCom (Yardley, PA, USA), and Matilda Toivakka, PhD, and Brittany Jarrett, PhD, of Complete HealthVizion (Chicago, IL, USA), and was funded by Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation.

Declaration of funding

Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation provided funding for medical writing and editorial assistance and reviewed the content for medical accuracy but had no role in the preparation of the manuscript or decision to publish it.

Declaration of financial/other relationships

Neither P.P.T. nor D.G. received honorarium or other form of compensation for their participation in this project. The coauthors were involved in every stage of manuscript development and had full control over final content.

Peer reviewers on this manuscript have no relevant financial or other relationships to disclose.

Declaration of interest

Neither P.P.T. nor D.G. received honoraria or other form of compensation for their participation in this project. The co-authors were involved in every stage of manuscript development and had full control over final content. Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation provided funding for medical writing and editorial assistance and reviewed the content for medical accuracy but had no role in the preparation of the manuscript or decision to publish it.