The impact of obesity on the regulation of muscle blood flow during exercise in patients with heart failure with a preserved ejection fraction

Abstract

Obesity is the primary comorbid condition in HFpEF pathophysiology, but the role of adiposity on the peripheral circulation is not well understood. The present study identified a 30%–40% reduction in forearm blood flow during handgrip exercise, accompanied by a marked elevation in proinflammatory plasma biomarkers, in obese patients with HFpEF compared with their nonobese counterparts. These findings suggest an exaggerated dysregulation in exercising muscle blood flow associated with the obese HFpEF phenotype.