What's the Difference Between Systolic and Preserved Systolic Heart Failure, and Why Is It Important?

Heart failure(formerly called congestive heart failure) can be classified in a number of ways, but one important distinction -- having to do with the difference between systolic and preserved See also:
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See all 82 questions about Heart Concerns systolic function -- refers to how the structure of the heart has been affected.

Systolic heart failure, which is more common among people of all ages, happens when the left ventricle heart muscle doesn't contract strongly enough to pump all the blood from the chamber. This is measured by the "ejection fraction" -- how much blood is ejected out of the left ventricle. Preserved systolic -- formerly called diastolic -- means the heart is pumping strongly enough but the heart muscle is stiff and doesn't relax enough for the chambers to completely refill.

In older adults, both types of heart failure are common. In fact, it's not unusual to have both types at once. The only way to know which type a person has for certain is by echocardiogram.

The symptoms for both types of heart failure are roughly the same, but treatment choices may be different. So knowing which type of heart failure you're dealing with will help you understand the prescribed treatment and monitor whether it's working as intended.

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