There are many types of diseases and medical conditions that people suffer from. Some have similar symptoms to other existing conditions and thus any medical intervention might fail to yield expected results. Heart Failure with preserved Ejection Fraction (HFpEF) is one of the health conditions that often goes misdiagnosed, thus many people suffering from this condition end up receiving the wrong treatment.

HFpEF is a medical condition in which heart muscles become too stiff thus preventing it from pumping blood properly. Some of the symptoms of the conditions associated with the condition include extreme tiredness, shortness of breath, swelling in the ankles, legs, abdomen, and lower back. Roughly 920,000 people in the UK are diagnosed with heart failure but half of them have HFpEF but they are misdiagnosed.

Scientists recently conducted a study whose findings revealed the potential reasons behind the HFpEF misdiagnosis. The study was conducted in the West Midlands, Greater Manchester, and East England and the researchers observed 50 patients suffering from HFpEF. The team of researchers evaluated large amounts of data in the study using Normalisation Process Theory which puts into account the healthcare measures routinely used for the patients.

There is a huge grey area as far as HFpEF is concerned

The data revealed that the condition is not widely understood and the therapy employed in treating patients is often not the correct general practice to address the condition. Making the correct diagnosis for HFpEF is often difficult and it is often characterized by delays. The reason for the improper diagnosis is the fact that the amount of blood leaving the heart is usually appears normal or close to normal. The referrals also tend to be inconsistent. The lack of specific symptoms may also lead to misdiagnosis.

Many patients have no knowledge of HFpEF. They might thus not know that they have been wrongly diagnosed and so they do not pursue a second opinion. Another major hurdle for patients suffering from this condition is that they may not access the necessary. In summary, HFpEF does not receive as much attention as it should, and people lack adequate knowledge about the condition and the right treatment options.