TITLE:
Clinical and Metabolic Predictors of Ventricular Arrhythmias in Heart Failure with Preserved Ejection Fraction: A Nationwide Inpatient Study—Predictors of Ventricular Arrhythmias in Heart Failure with Preserved Ejection Fraction
AUTHORS:
Parjanya Bhatt, Priyadarshini Dixit, Isra Algburi, Riaz Mahmood, Ugochukwu Egolum, Geetha Krishnamoorthy
KEYWORDS:
Heart Failure with Preserved Ejection Fraction, HfpEF, Ventricular Arrhythmias, Ventricular Tachycardia, National Inpatient Sample
JOURNAL NAME:
World Journal of Cardiovascular Diseases,
Vol.16 No.8,
August
31,
2026
ABSTRACT: Introduction: Ventricular arrhythmias (VAs) are a well-recognized cause of morbidity and sudden cardiac death in patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF). In contrast, the epidemiology and predictors of VAs in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) remain incompletely characterized. We evaluated the prevalence of VAs and identified independent clinical, metabolic, renal, and electrolyte predictors among hospitalized patients with HFpEF using a nationally representative database. Methods: We performed a retrospective analysis of the National Inpatient Sample (2016-2018). Adult hospitalizations with HFpEF and HFrEF were identified using ICD-10-CM codes. Ventricular arrhythmias included ventricular tachycardia, ventricular fibrillation, and ventricular flutter. Hospitalizations with combined systolic and diastolic heart failure were excluded. Survey-weighted multivariable logistic regression was used to identify independent predictors of VAs in HFpEF after adjustment for demographic characteristics, comorbidities, and electrolyte abnormalities. Results: Among 1,289,705 heart failure hospitalizations, VAs occurred significantly less frequently in HFpEF than in HFrEF (1.89% vs. 6.48%; p