Chronotropic Incompetence in Patients With HFpEF
Heart Failure

About this trial
This is an interventional basic science trial for Heart Failure
Eligibility Criteria
Healthy Controls
Inclusion Criteria:
- ages > 60 years
- body mass index <30
- absence of co-morbid conditions including hypertension, diabetes, heart failure, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, coronary artery disease as evidenced by angina or prior myocardial infarction or cerebrovascular disease as evidenced by prior transient ischemic attack or stroke
Exclusion Criteria:
- ages less than 60
- body mass index >30
- presence of co-morbid conditions including hypertension, diabetes, heart failure, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, coronary artery disease as evidenced by angina or prior myocardial infarction or cerebrovascular disease as evidenced by prior transient ischemic attack or stroke
- Patients with chronic orthopedic injury that might make them unable to participate in an exercise testing will also be excluded
- Subjects unable to speak English will not be recruited because of the complex experimental studies and the need for precise communication between the volunteers and the research staff to ensure safety.
HFpEF Subjects
Inclusion Criteria:
- Patients will be > 60 years old, male or female, all races.
- signs and symptoms of heart failure
- ejection fraction > 0.50
- objective evidence of diastolic dysfunction.
- All patients must be in sinus rhythm without a left bundle branch block at the time of study
Exclusion Criteria:
- underlying valvular or congenital heart disease
- restrictive or infiltrative cardiomyopathy
- acute myocarditis
- New York Heart Association (NYHA) Class IV congestive heart failure, or heart failure that cannot be stabilized on medical therapy
- other condition that would limit the patient's ability to complete the protocol
- manifest ischemic heart disease
- Coumadin/warfarin therapy
- Patients with chronic orthopedic injury that might make them unable to participate in an exercise testing will also be excluded
- Subjects unable to speak English will not be recruited because of the complex experimental studies and the need for precise communication between the volunteers and the research staff to ensure safety.
Sites / Locations
- The Institute for Exercise and Environmental Medicine
Arms of the Study
Arm 1
Arm 2
Arm 3
Active Comparator
Experimental
Active Comparator
Healthy Seniors
HFpEF
Healthy Young
Fifteen healthy senior volunteers > 60 years of age. Subjects will be healthy with no chronic medical problems and on no cardiac medications except for statins. All control subjects will have a Body Mass Index (BMI) <30, with exercise histories of less than 3 days per week of aerobic exercise. Intervention: Static handgrip and Autonomic Blockade (Dexmedetomidine, Glycopyrrolate, Isoproterenol)
Patients with HFpEF will provide data from their cardiologist or primary care physician that confirm the following: a) signs and symptoms of heart failure; b) an ejection fraction > 0.50; and c) objective evidence of diastolic dysfunction. Intervention: Static handgrip and Autonomic Blockade (Dexmedetomidine, Glycopyrrolate, Isoproterenol)
Fifteen volunteers <45 yrs will be enrolled. Subjects will be healthy with no chronic medical problems and on no cardiac medications except for statins and have BMI <30. Intervention: Autonomic Blockade (Dexmedetomidine, Glycopyrrolate, Isoproterenol)