Differential impact of heart rate and blood pressure on outcome in patients with heart failure with reduced versus preserved left ventricular ejection fraction.

BACKGROUND: In contrast to patients with heart failure (HF) with reduced left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF; HFREF) the prognostic role of heart rate (HR) and blood pressure (BP) in patients with HF and preserved LVEF (HFPEF) is not well known. The aim of this study was to characterize the relationship between HR and BP and outcomes in HFPEF and to compare it to HFREF.

METHODS: The association between HR and BP and outcomes (median follow-up: 38 months) was analyzed in patients with HFREF (LVEF ≤ 45%; n=6792) and HFPEF (LVEF > 45%; n=988) from the Digitalis Investigator Group trial.

RESULTS: Mortality (35% vs. 23%) and HF hospitalization rates (31% vs. 20%; p<0.001 for both) were higher in HFREF compared to HFPEF. In HFREF, higher HR and lower systolic and diastolic BP quartiles were associated with higher mortality and HF hospitalization rates. By contrast, there was no significant association between HR and BP respectively and mortality in HFPEF, and there was no significant association between systolic BP and hospitalization risk in HFPEF either. However, HF hospitalization rates were significantly related to increasing HR and decreasing diastolic BP quartile respectively (4.9, 6.8, 6.8, and 10.5 and 5.5, 8.1, 6.0, and 10.1 respectively events per 1000 person-years) in HFPEF. In HFPEF, there was also evidence of a significant J-shaped relationship between pulse pressure and mortality.

CONCLUSIONS: The prognostic value of HR and BP differed substantially between HFREF and HFPEF. These data may provide a foundation for the design of novel interventions in HFPEF patients.