title: HFNEF, HFpEF, HF-PEF, or DHF: what is in an acronym?
abstract: It is well recognized that many patients presenting with heart failure have a normal left ventricular ejection fraction. There has been debate about the correct name for this condition including originally Diastolic Heart Failure (DHF), Heart Failure with a Normal Ejection Fraction (HFNEF), and more recently Heart Failure with a Preserved Ejection Fraction, usually abbreviated to HFpEF. In this viewpoint is it argued that 'Preserved' is the least appropriate word to use, as ejection fraction declines over time and furthermore it is never explained why the 'p' is small. The most honest acronym is HFNEF.
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine & Therapeutics, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, People's Republic of China. Electronic address: jesanderson@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: John E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Sanderson
mesh_terms: D000004:Abbreviations as Topic; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000145:classification / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D013318:Stroke Volume / Q000502:physiology*; D020257:Ventricular Remodeling / Q000502:physiology
keywords: diastole; ejection fraction; heart failure