Systolic Vs. Diastolic Heart Failure

Heart failure is usually classified by doctors on the basis of which heart function is most affected. Or in simple words, the type of heart failure is described with reference to which part of the heart is most affected. The human heart, is a vital organ in the body and is the center of the circulatory system. As you know, the heart has four chambers - two upper chambers or the atria and two lower chambers or the ventricles. Blood is brought back from the body to the heart and from there, it is again pumped through the circulatory system to all parts of the body.

Difference Between Systolic and Diastolic Heart Failure

Congestive heart failure is a chronic and progressive condition where the muscles of the heart weaken considerably and are unable to pump enough blood to meet the body's requirements. Heart failure caused by problems with the chambers that contract to pump out blood is known as systolic heart failure, while heart failure due to problems with the chambers that expand to fill with blood is called diastolic heart failure. When only the right ventricle is affected, it is called right-sided heart failure, or right sided congestive heart failure, whereas when the left ventricle is affected, it is called left-sided heart failure. It is possible that both the ventricles are affected and do not pump sufficient blood.

Contraction of the heart is called 'systole' and relaxation is called 'diastole' and these actions compose one beat of the heart. When the heart contracts, blood is pumped into the lungs and into all parts of the body from the lower chambers of the heart (ventricles). During relaxation and expansion of the heart, the ventricles fill completely with blood.

So, the main difference between systolic and diastolic heart failure is that systolic heart failure is the result of a pumping problem (systolic dysfunction) and it is caused by the ventricle losing its ability to contract normally because the heart muscle has become weak while diastolic heart failure is the result of a filling problem (diastolic dysfunction), caused by the ventricle losing its ability to relax because the heart muscle has become stiff.

As you are thinking about systolic vs. diastolic heart failure, you should know that in both cases, as the health of the heart is severely affected, the heart can't pump enough blood into the arteries. If there is some problem with filling of the heart, then too, inadequate blood is pumped from the heart, as it is not filled sufficiently. Although most people with heart failure experience some degree of both, blood-pumping and blood-filling problems, diastolic heart failure is more common in women than in men.

The symptoms of systolic and diastolic heart failure are almost the same. According to study reports, men have double the risk of developing blood-pumping (systolic) problems compared to women and when women do develop them, they tend to be less severe.

Women with chronic systolic heart failure are more likely than men to have symptoms such as swollen ankles (22% vs 15%), elevated pressure in the jugular veins on each side of the neck (17% vs 5%), and shortness of breath due to accumulation of fluid in the lungs. The symptoms of systolic or diastolic heart failure include

• Fatigue
• Difficulty doing simple daily activities, like carrying groceries
• Constant cough and chest congestion which worsens while lying down
• Shortness of breath
• Water retention or swollen ankles, feet, leg, and belly
• Raspy breathing or wheezing
• Racing heartbeats
• Bulging of the veins in the neck
• Chest pain

It has been observed that most of the above symptoms are mistaken for signs of aging or being overweight, especially in case of women. Sometimes people with asthma or lung diseases assume that the above mentioned symptoms are due to the pre-existing condition. It is a fact that heart and lung diseases sometimes occur together. The symptoms of heart failure are almost the same (some examples are mentioned above) in men and women, though their severity may vary from person to person.

Basically, the heart's inability to pump blood efficiently leads to the symptoms, mentioned above. It has been noticed that most of the symptoms are a result of the congestion that occurs when the fluid backs up. Leakage of fluid into the lungs leads to breathing problems, coughing or wheezing. When the blood and fluid collect around the body, feet, ankles, legs appear to be swollen. Blood is supplied first to the most vital organs and all other organs have to work with insufficient blood which results in fatigue. Rapid heart beats are experienced as the heart beats faster in order to counterbalance its weaker pumping ability. If you notice any of these symptoms, you should never neglect them. You should consult your doctor immediately so as to prevent any further damage.