New Concepts in Diastolic Dysfunction and Diastolic Heart Failure: Part II

Abstract

As described in Part I of this 2-part article,1 diastolic heart failure is common and causes significant alterations in prognosis. In Part II, experimental studies that have provided insight into the mechanisms that cause diastolic heart failure will be described.2–19⇓⇓⇓⇓⇓⇓⇓⇓⇓⇓⇓⇓⇓⇓⇓⇓⇓ In addition, current treatment strategies and the design of future clinical trials of diastolic heart failure will be discussed. The development of truly effective therapy for diastolic heart failure depends on gaining a clear understanding of the basic mechanisms that alter diastolic function and the ability to efficiently target these mechanisms to correct these abnormalities in diastolic function. Conceptually, the mechanisms that cause abnormalities in diastolic function that lead to the development of diastolic heart failure can be divided into factors intrinsic to the myocardium itself (myocardial) and factors that are extrinsic to the myocardium (extramyocardial; Table 1). Myocardial factors can be divided into structures and processes within the cardiac muscle cell (cardiomyocyte), within the extracellular matrix (ECM) that surrounds the cardiac muscle cell, and that activate the autocrine or paracrine production of neurohormones. Each of these mechanisms are active in the major pathological processes that result in diastolic dysfunction and heart failure. Myocardial and extramyocardial mechanisms, cellular and extracellular mechanisms, and neurohumoral activation each play a role in the development of diastolic heart failure caused by ischemia, pressure-overload hypertrophy, and restrictive and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. View this table: Table 1105290. Diastolic Heart Failure: Mechanisms ### Cardiomyocyte Diastolic dysfunction can be caused by mechanisms that are intrinsic to the cardiac muscle cells themselves. These include changes in calcium homeostasis caused by (1) abnormalities in the sarcolemmal channels responsible for short- and long-term extrusion of calcium from the cytosol, such as the sodium calcium exchanger and the calcium pump; (2) …