Frequency Of Obesity In Patients Presenting With Acute Heart Failure With Preserved Ejection Fraction At Tertiary Care Hospital.

Abstract

Background: Obesity is frequently observed among patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) and has been associated with adverse cardiovascular remodeling, systemic inflammation, and impaired functional capacity. Despite increasing prevalence worldwide, local data describing obesity among patients presenting with acute HFpEF remain limited.

Methodology: This  cross-sectional study was conducted at Liaquat National Hospital, Karachi, Pakistan from December 2025 to May 2026 and included 149 patients aged 40-80 years diagnosed with HFpEF. Demographic characteristics, clinical history, and comorbid conditions including hypertension, type II diabetes mellitus, dyslipidemia, smoking status, and family history of heart failure were recorded. Body mass index (BMI) was calculated using measured height and weight. Obesity was defined as a BMI ≥27.5 kg/m2. Data was analyzed using SPSS version 20.0.

Results: Among 149 patients 101 (67.8%) were obese. The mean age was 59.8 ± 11.9 years, with 82 (55.0%) males and 67 (45.0%) females. Obesity showed significant associations with hypertension (p < 0.001), type II diabetes mellitus (p = 0.007),  age ≤60 years (p = 0.031), female gender (p = 0.045) and dyslipidemia (p = 0.009). No significant association was observed with smoking status (p = 0.118) or family history of heart failure (p = 0.128).

Conclusion: Obesity was highly prevalent among patients presenting with acute HFpEF and showed significant associations with several cardiovascular and metabolic comorbidities. These findings highlight the burden of obesity in this population. Further longitudinal studies are required to determine temporal and causal relationships.