Evaluation and management of diastolic heart failure.

Case presentation: A 73-yearold female smoker with a history of hypertension presents to the emergency room with dyspnea on exertion for 2 weeks, now progressing to shortness of breath at rest for 1 day. She has no angina, but has 2-pillow orthopnea and possible paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea. On examination, blood pressure is 180/ 96 mm Hg, heart rate is 95 beats per minute and regular, and she is afebrile. Jugular venous pressure is 11 cm, and there are rales in the lower third of both lung fields. On cardiac auscultation there is an S4, but no S3 or murmur. On chest radiography, emphysematous changes are present, and there are patchy bilateral infiltrates consistent with pulmonary edema or pneumonia. Heart size is mildly increased. Is she suffering from congestive heart failure, and if so, why? What are the best management options acutely and after hospital discharge?