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Epidemiology of Pulmonary Hypertension and Right Ventricular Failure in Left Heart Failure

  • Epidemiology of Heart Failure (CSP Lam, Section Editor)
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Abstract

Pulmonary hypertension (PH) leading to right ventricular failure (RVF) is a common complication of left heart failure irrespective of the left ventricular ejection fraction. PH due to left heart disease is the most common cause of PH. The prevalence of PH and RVF in left heart failure varies depending on the patient population studied, the method used to diagnose PH, and the hemodynamic criteria used to define PH. Elevated left-sided filling pressure and functional mitral regurgitation are the two major determinants of PH in left heart failure. PH is associated with markers of disease severity, advanced symptoms, and worse long-term outcomes including heart failure hospitalization and mortality in left heart failure. RVF has independent, incremental prognostic value over PH for adverse outcomes in left heart failure. PH and RVF may be potential therapeutic targets in patients with left heart failure.

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Conflict of Interest

Thenappan Thenappan has received compensation from Medscape for assisting in the development of an online educational program in PAH.

Mardi Gomberg-Maitland has served as a consultant for Actelion, Bayer, Gilead, Medtronic, Merck, Bellerophon (formerly known as Ikaria), and United Therapeutics as a member of steering committees and DSMB/event committees; has received honoraria for CME from Medscape and AB Comm; is a member of the PCORI Advisory Panel on Rare Diseases; and is a Special Government Employee for the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Cardio-Renal Division; Actelion, Gilead, Medtronic, Novartis, Lung Biotechnology, Reata, and Ventripoint have provided funding to the University of Chicago during the past year to support Dr. Gomberg-Maitland’s conducting of clinical trials.

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This article does not contain any studies with human or animal subjects performed by any of the authors.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Cardiovascular Division, Department of Medicine, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, MN, USA

    Thenappan Thenappan

  2. Section of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA

    Mardi Gomberg-Maitland

  3. Pulmonary Hypertension Program, The University of Chicago Medicine, 5841 S. Maryland Avenue, MC 5403, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA

    Mardi Gomberg-Maitland

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Thenappan, T., Gomberg-Maitland, M. Epidemiology of Pulmonary Hypertension and Right Ventricular Failure in Left Heart Failure. Curr Heart Fail Rep 11, 428–435 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11897-014-0216-6

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