ABSTRACT
SYSTOLIC HEART FAILURE As outlined above, the diagnosis of HF requires objective evidence of cardiac dysfunction. Dysfunction may reflect impairment of either contractility (systolic dysfunction) or filling (diastolic dysfunction). Existing parameters to define left ventricular systolic dysfunction include assessment of ejection fraction (LVEF) and/or echocardiographic fractional shortening. LVEF <40% or fractional shortening <25% represents significant contractile impairment, and the presence of appropriate symptoms in this setting would confer a diagnosis of systolic HF (1-3).
