Exercise Intolerance in Heart Failure: the Role of Altered Cardiac and Skeletal Muscle Energetics
The investigators are studying whether metabolic abnormalities in cardiac and skeletal muscle in patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) are associated with debilitating exercise intolerance.
• Patients of either gender who are greater than 21 years of age (no upper age limit),
• Permission of patient's clinical attending physician,
• Previous clinical diagnosis of HF with current New York Heart Association (NYHA) Class II-III symptoms for at least 1 month,
• Left ventricular ejection fraction (EF) \>50% by echocardiography, MRI, CT or x-ray or nuclear ventriculography within prior 12 months,
• Stable medical therapy for at least 30 days (no addition or removal or major (\>100%) dose change of Renin-Angiotensin-Aldosterone System (RAAS) antagonists, beta-blockers, or calcium channel blockers for hypertension).