Natriuretic peptides (NPs) are released from the heart in response to pressure and volume
overload. B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) and N-terminal-proBNP have become important …

Left ventricular (LV) diastolic dysfunction (DD) and diastolic heart failure (HF), that is
symptomatic DD, are due to alterations of myocardial diastolic properties. These alterations …

Background Heart failure (HF) with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) is increasingly
recognized as an important clinical entity. Preclinical studies have shown differences in the …

Aims Diastolic heart failure is a frequent entity but difficult to diagnose. N-terminal pro-B type
natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) was therefore investigated as a possible non-invasive …

Aims Atrial fibrillation (AF) is common in heart failure (HF), but few data regarding the
prognostic relevance of AF are available in HF patients with preserved left ventricular …

While arterial stiffness is known to be related to atherosclerosis, the association between
arterial stiffness and cardiac systolic and diastolic function in hypertension has not been fully …

Renin-angiotensin system (RAS) inhibitors are likely to reduce the development of atrial
fibrillation by preventing atrial fibrosis. Strain rate (SR) imaging is a novel echocardiographic …

Recent studies report that, in the absence of heart failure and renal failure, plasma B-type
natriuretic peptide (BNP) has prognostic value for mortality. We sought to confirm and extend …

A diagnosis of diastolic heart failure can be made if the patient exhibits clinical evidence of
heart failure and has a normal left ventricular ejection fraction. The diagnosis is confirmed if …

Aims Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HF‐PEF) can be difficult to diagnose in
clinical practice. Myocardial fibrosis is a major determinant of diastolic dysfunction (DD) …