Participants
valve disease
PERSISTENT ATRIAL FIBRILLATION, HYPERTENSION, CONSTRICTIVE PERICARDITIS, HYPERTROPHIC CARDIOMYOPATHY
Eligible requirements included an age of 20–85 years, previous diagnosis of hypertension, plasma BNP ≥ 40 pg/mL or NT-proBNP ≥ 125 pg/mL, the existence of a previous diagnosis of HF (present or prior history of HF hospitalization, or NYHA class ≥ II symptoms), E/e′ ≥ 8, and LVEF ≥ 45%. Major exclusion criteria were as follows: angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor use at the consent, the presence of persistent atrial fibrillation, continuous lower systolic BP (< 90 mmHg), implanted mechanical ventricular device, patients waiting for heart transplantation and cardiac surgery, patients with moderate or severe valve disease, the history of mitral valve replacement or plasty, the history of constrictive pericarditis, diagnosed as hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, and an eGFR below 15 mL/min/1.73 m