Heart failure affects 1-2% of the adult population. Up to half of these patients have apparently normal heart pumping function, known as heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). Because HFpEF typically occurs in elderly patients with multiple comorbidities, many different mechanisms could drive symptoms and life expectancy, and it has been difficult to find effective treatments that work for all. Symptoms of HFpEF occur during exertion. The current scoring system for the diagnosis of HFpEF is not able to identify the majority of people and the majority of people remain in the zone of diagnostic uncertainty; there is no definite follow-up strategy, thus people do not receive appropriate treatment. Also, the medications, prehabilitation, and rehabilitation services are not personalised. To cater to these gaps in clinical practice, this study was set up to use Cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) to understand the complexity of this disease. The investigators plan to recruit patients with clinical suspicion of HFpEF, referred to the Cardiology Department at Ulster Hospital, Belfast, UK. After screening the medical records of patients based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria, the investigators recruited 40 patients to undergo a cardiopulmonary exercise test. CPET parameters related to the heart, lungs and muscles were recorded in real time, as the patient exercised on the bike to maximal effort. The CPET data were then analysed to answer the above-mentioned clinical gaps. To disseminate the findings, the investigators plan to present the results at scientific, clinical, and patient group meetings and publish the findings in medical journals, to reach a wide array of healthcare professionals and policymakers.
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Maximum Oxygen Consumption at peak exercise (VO2peak)
Timeframe: CPET testing day. VO2peak is recorded as the oxygen consumption value measured by the gas sensor at the peak of exercise, i.e., seconds before maximal exhaustion.