biostudies-literatureUnknown9(11)Ali D<h4>Aims</h4>There has been a paradigm shift proposing that comorbidities are a major contributor towards the heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) syndrome. Furthermore, HFpEF patients have abnormal macrovascular and microvascular function, which may significantly contribute towards altered ventricular-vascular coupling in these patients. The IDENTIFY-HF study will investigate whether gradually increased arterial stiffness (in addition to ageing) as a result of increasing common comorbidities, such as hypertension and diabetes, is associated with HFpEF.<h4>Methods and analysis</h4>In our observational study, arterial compliance and microvascular function will be assessed in five groups (Groups A to E) of age, sex and body mass index matched subjects (age ≥70 years in all BMJ opene027984https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC6886989biostudies-literatureHeart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) pathophysiology study (IDENTIFY-HF): does increased arterial stiffness associate with HFpEF, in addition to ageing and vascular effects of comorbidities? Rationale and design.PMC6886989Ennis SMcGuire SAli DWeickert MOCappuccio FPPowell RMiller MAMcGregor GCallan NBanerjee PfalseHeart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) pathophysiology study (IDENTIFY-HF): does increased arterial stiffness associate with HFpEF, in addition to ageing and vascular effects of comorbidities? Rationale and design.<h4>Aims</h4>There has been a paradigm shift proposing that comorbidities are a major contributor towards the heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) syndrome. Furthermore, HFpEF patients have abnormal macrovascular and microvascular function, which may significantly contribute towards altered ventricular-vascular coupling in these patients. The IDENTIFY-HF study will investigate whether gradually increased arterial stiffness (in addition to ageing) as a result of increasing common comorbidities, such as hypertension and diabetes, is associated with HFpEF.<h4>Methods and analysis</h4>In our observational study, arterial compliance and microvascular function will be assessed in five groups (Groups A to E) of age, sex and body mass index matched subjects (age ≥70 years in all 2019-01-01T00:00:00Z2019 Nov2026-05-07T06:41:56.471Z2020-05-21T20:31:46ZS-EPMC68869893174828510.1136/bmjopen-2018-027984