What is the most common type of heart failure?

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El Tipo Más Común de Insuficiencia Cardíaca

La insuficiencia cardíaca con fracción de eyección preservada (ICFEp) representa aproximadamente el 50% de todos los casos de insuficiencia cardíaca, convirtiéndola en el tipo más común a nivel mundial. 1

Distribución de los Fenotipos de Insuficiencia Cardíaca

La insuficiencia cardíaca se clasifica en tres categorías principales según la fracción de eyección del ventrículo izquierdo (FEVI):

  • ICFEp (FEVI ≥50%): Representa aproximadamente el 50% de todos los pacientes con insuficiencia cardíaca 1, 2, 3
  • ICFEr (FEVI ≤40%): Constituye entre 39-60% de los casos según diferentes registros 1
  • ICFEmr (FEVI 41-49%): Representa entre 14-24% de los casos 1

Tendencias Epidemiológicas Importantes

La prevalencia de ICFEp está aumentando mientras que la de ICFEr se mantiene estable o está disminuyendo. 1 Este cambio refleja:

  • El envejecimiento de la población mundial 1
  • El aumento de enfermedades cardiometabólicas como obesidad y diabetes 1
  • La mejoría en la supervivencia de pacientes con enfermedad coronaria gracias a tratamientos efectivos 1

Características Demográficas de la ICFEp

La ICFEp es más común en:

  • Personas mayores: La prevalencia aumenta significativamente después de los 75 años 1
  • Mujeres: A diferencia de la ICFEr que predomina en hombres jóvenes 1
  • Pacientes con hipertensión y diabetes: Estas comorbilidades son factores de riesgo principales 1, 4

Variaciones Geográficas

Los datos de diferentes registros internacionales confirman esta distribución:

  • Registro ESC-HF-LT (Europa): 60% ICFEr, 24% ICFEmr, 16% ICFEp 1
  • Registro GWTG-HF (Estados Unidos): 39% ICFEr, 14% ICFEmr, 47% ICFEp 1
  • Registro G-CHF (Global): 54% ICFEr, 24% ICFEmr, 21% ICFEp 1

Es importante notar que la variabilidad en estas cifras refleja diferencias en las poblaciones estudiadas, criterios diagnósticos utilizados, y contextos de atención (hospitalarios vs. ambulatorios). 1, 5

Implicaciones Clínicas

La ICFEp representa un desafío terapéutico mayor porque, hasta recientemente, carecía de tratamientos modificadores de la enfermedad con evidencia sólida. 1, 2 A diferencia de la ICFEr, donde existe terapia cuádruple bien establecida 6, 7, la ICFEp solo recientemente ha mostrado beneficio con inhibidores SGLT2 1.

La carga económica y de morbilidad de la ICFEp es comparable o incluso mayor que la de ICFEr, con tasas de hospitalización y mortalidad similares 1, 5, 3.

References

Guideline

Guideline Directed Topic Overview

Dr.Oracle Medical Advisory Board & Editors, 2025

Research

Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction: an update on pathophysiology, diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis.

Brazilian journal of medical and biological research = Revista brasileira de pesquisas medicas e biologicas, 2020

Guideline

Heart Failure Diagnosis and Classification

Praxis Medical Insights: Practical Summaries of Clinical Guidelines, 2025

Research

Management of Heart Failure With Reduced Ejection Fraction.

Current problems in cardiology, 2023

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Professional Medical Disclaimer

This information is intended for healthcare professionals. Any medical decision-making should rely on clinical judgment and independently verified information. The content provided herein does not replace professional discretion and should be considered supplementary to established clinical guidelines. Healthcare providers should verify all information against primary literature and current practice standards before application in patient care. Dr.Oracle assumes no liability for clinical decisions based on this content.

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