How is diastolic heart failure diagnosed?
The main difference between diastolic heart failure and systolic heart failure is that the heart of a patient with diastolic heart failure has a normal ability to pump out blood. This is measured by ejection fraction, the percentage of blood pumped—or “ejected”—out of a filled pumping chamber (ventricle) during each heartbeat. To measure your ejection fraction, your doctor will order a Doppler echocardiogram to check the size of your main pumping chamber and determine if it is pumping out blood as it should. Diastolic heart failure usually has a normal ejection fraction of 50% or higher because the main pumping chamber is still pumping half or more of the blood it holds. However, the heart still pumps out less blood than normal because it is unable to relax and fill with enough blood. Women are more likely than men to have a high ejection fraction.27 You will be diagnosed with diastolic heart failure if your doctor finds you have signs and symptoms of heart failure, especially the back
