The impact of a chronic obstructive pulmonary disease diagnosis on the identification of heart failure

Abstract

The prevalence of unrecognized HF in symptomatic COPD patients turned out to be 20 %, particularly in severe stages (GOLD 3or 4) underscores the need for routine cardiac evaluation in this population. NT-proBNP levels can be unexpectedly higher in COPD patients due to right ventricular strain and pulmonary hypertension, in the absence of left-sided heart failure making echocardiography essential for accurate diagnosis. Among patients with COPD, HF with preserved EF is the most common. The higher mMRC grade (≥3), older age, obesity, E/e' ratio (>13,5) predict hidden HF in COPD with persistent symptoms despite optimal COPD treatment