Coexisting Morbidities in Heart Failure: No Robust Interaction with the Left Ventricular Ejection Fraction

Abstract

Purpose of review: Heart failure (HF) patients often present with multiple coexisting morbidities. In this review, we contend that coexisting morbidities are highly prevalent and clinically important regardless of the left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF).

Recent findings: Multimorbidity is prevalent in the ambulatory subjects of the community and increases with age. Differences in the prevalence of coexisting morbidities between HF with preserved LVEF (> 50%), mid-range LVEF (40-50%), and reduced LVEF (< 40%) are either not demonstrable or whenever present are small and unrelated to morbidity and mortality. The constellation of coexisting morbidities together with the disease modifiers (age, sex, genes, other) defines the HF phenotype and outcome. There is no robust evidence supporting an interaction in HF patients between the prevalence and clinical significance of coexisting morbidities and the LVEF.

Keywords: Aging; Coexisting morbidities; Genes; Sex; Spectrum.