Abstract
Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) has been characterized by lower blood flow to exercising limbs and lower peak oxygen utilization ( V̇O2 ), possibly associated with disease-related changes in sympathetic (α-adrenergic) signaling. Thus, in seven patients with HFpEF (70 ± 6 years, 3 female/4 male) and seven controls (CON) (66 ± 3 years, 3 female/4 male), we examined changes (%Δ) in leg blood flow (LBF, Doppler ultrasound) and leg V̇O2 to intra-arterial infusion of phentolamine (PHEN, α-adrenergic antagonist) or phenylephrine (PE, α(1)-adrenergic agonist) at rest and during single-leg knee-extension exercise (0, 5 and 10 W). At rest, the PHEN-induced increase in LBF was not different between groups, but PE-induced reductions in LBF were lower in HFpEF (-16% ± 4% vs. -26% ± 5%, HFpEF vs. CON; P < 0.05). During exercise, the PHEN-induced increase in LBF was greater in HFpEF at 10 W (16% ± 8% vs. 8% ± 5%; P < 0.05). PHEN increased leg V̇O2 in HFpEF (10% ± 3%, 11% ± 6%, 15% ± 7% at 0, 5 and 10 W; P < 0.05) but not in controls (-1% ± 9%, -4% ± 2%, -1% ± 5%; P = 0.24). The 'magnitude of sympatholysis' (PE-induced %Δ LBF at rest - PE-induced %Δ LBF during exercise) was lower in patients with HFpEF (-6% ± 4%, -6% ± 6%, -7% ± 5% vs. -13% ± 6%, -17% ± 5%, -20% ± 5% at 0, 5 and 10 W; P < 0.05) and was positively related to LBF, leg oxygen delivery, leg V̇O2 , and the PHEN-induced increase in LBF (P < 0.05). Together, these data indicate that excessive α-adrenergic vasoconstriction restrains blood flow and limits V̇O2 of the exercising leg in patients with HFpEF, and is related to impaired functional sympatholysis in this patient group. KEY POINTS: Sympathetic (α-adrenergic)-mediated vasoconstriction is exaggerated during exercise in patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF), which may contribute to limitations of blood flow, oxygen delivery and oxygen utilization in the exercising muscle. The ability to adequately attenuate α(1)-adrenergic vasoconstriction (i.e. functional sympatholysis) within the vasculature of the exercising muscle is impaired in patients with HFpEF. These observations extend our current understanding of HFpEF pathophysiology by implicating excessive α-adrenergic restraint and impaired functional sympatholysis as important contributors to disease-related impairments in exercising muscle blood flow and oxygen utilization in these patients.