The pathophysiological cause of elevated diastolic pressures and heart failure in patients with normal ejection fraction is abnormal diastolic function.
Patients with heart failure and a normal ejection fraction have significant abnormalities in active relaxation and passive stiffness. In these patients, the pathophysiological cause of elevated diastolic pressures and heart failure is abnormal diastolic function.
Zile et al. (Wed,) studied this question.