Synthetic growth hormone-releasing hormone agonist ameliorates the myocardial pathophysiology characteristic of HFpEF.

Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) presents with left-ventricular hypertrophy (LVH), diastolic dysfunction and a spectrum of systemic co-morbidities. Developing animal models and successful therapeutics is notoriously challenging. Here, we used low dose angiotensin-II infusion in mice, which produced LVH, diastolic dysfunction, myocardial fibrosis, and heart failure, and tested growth hormone releasing hormone (GHRH)-agonists, known to have cardiac anti-hypertophic and pro-regenerative effects, on reversing and preventing the angiotensin-II phenotype. We demonstrate improved myocardial relaxation, diastolic calcium handing, and cardiac fibrosis, opening the possibility of using GHRH-agonists for HFpEF. Testing in other animal models and clinical studies are warranted.