Heart failure is a clinical syndrome associated with poor quality of life, substantial healthcare resource utilization, and premature mortality, in large part related to high rates of hospitalizations. The clinical manifestations of heart failure are similar regardless of the ejection fraction. Unlike heart failure with reduced ejection fraction, there are few therapeutic options for treating heart failure with preserved ejection fraction. Molecular therapies that have shown reduced mortality and morbidity in heart failure with reduced ejection have not been proven to be effective for patients with heart failure and preserved ejection fraction. The study of pathophysiological processes involved in the production of heart failure with preserved ejection fraction is the basis for identifying new therapeutic means. In this narrative review, we intend to synthesize the existing therapeutic means, but also those under research (metabolic and microRNA therapy) for the treatment of heart failure with preserved ejection fraction.

Cirrhotic cardiomyopathy encompasses structural and functional cardiac abnormalities occurring in patients with liver cirrhosis despite the absence of pre-existing heart disease, yet its diagnosis remains challenging. Although echocardiography is the standard diagnostic tool, circulating biomarkers may provide complementary value when imaging findings are inconclusive. This study evaluated the association between N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic Peptide (NT-proBNP), soluble Suppression of Tumorigenicity 2 (sST2), and diastolic dysfunction in cirrhotic patients without known cardiac disease. We conducted a prospective case–control study including 83 participants (43 patients with non-alcoholic cirrhosis and 40 healthy controls), assessed clinically, biochemically, and echocardiographically between June 2020 and July 2021. Cirrhotic patients showed significantly higher NT-proBNP (94.17 ± 151.36 pg/mL vs. 19.2 ± 5.47 pg/mL, p < 0.001) and sST2 levels (5.4 ± 2.31 ng/mL vs. 2.4 ± 0.99 ng/mL, p < 0.001). NT-proBNP demonstrated limited diagnostic accuracy for diastolic dysfunction (accuracy 52.6%, sensitivity 50%, specificity 60%, AUC 0.51), but it correlated modestly with congestion markers such as left atrial volume and pulmonary artery systolic pressure. A multimarker model combining age, NT-proBNP, and sST2 substantially improved diagnostic performance for diastolic dysfunction (accuracy 75%, sensitivity 77.1%, specificity 71.4%, AUC 0.925). In conclusion, NT-proBNP is associated with diastolic dysfunction but is influenced by cirrhosis congestion status. A combined NT-proBNP and sST2 assessment enhances diagnostic precision and may aid therapeutic decision-making, particularly regarding congestion and diuretic management in cirrhotic patients.