Obese phenotype and natriuretic peptides in patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction

The results of several recent experimental studies using animal models and clinical trials suggested that obesity is not merely an epiphenomenon or a prominent comorbidity in patients with heart failure (HF). Indeed, recent studies suggest that obesity is intimately involved in the pathogenesis of HF with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). The most recent studies indicate that approximately 50% of HF patients have HFpEF. As standard pharmacological treatment usually shows only a weak or even neutral effect on primary outcomes in patients with HFpEF, treatment strategies targeted to specific groups of HFpEF patients, such as those with obesity, may increase the likelihood of reaching substantial clinical benefit. Considering the well-known inverse relationship between body mass index (BMI) values and B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) levels, it is theoretically conceivable that the measurement of natriuretic peptides, using cutoff values adjusted for age and BMI, should increase diagnostic and prognostic accuracy in HFpEF patients. However, further experimental studies and clinical trials are needed to differentiate and better understand specific mechanisms of the various HFpEF phenotypes, including obese HFpEF.