RIGHT ATRIAL FUNCTION IS IMPAIRED IN PULMONARY ARTERIAL HYPERTENSION AND REFLECTS RIGHT VENTRICLE FAILURE: THE IMPRES TRIAL

Right Atrial Function in Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension.

BACKGROUND Elevated right atrial (RA) pressure is an established prognostic measure in pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). However, little is known about perturbations in RA function in PAH. METHODS AND RESULTS Reservoir (RA longitudinal strain [RA LS]), conduit (RA early LS rate), and active (RA late LS rate) phases were assessed by 2D speckle tracking in 65 patients with PAH, 6-minute wa...

The right ventricle in pulmonary arterial hypertension.

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a right heart failure syndrome. In early-stage PAH, the right ventricle tends to remain adapted to afterload with increased contractility and little or no increase in right heart chamber dimensions. However, less than optimal right ventricular (RV)-arterial coupling may already cause a decreased aerobic exercise capacity by limiting maximum cardiac outpu...

The role of the right ventricle in pulmonary arterial hypertension.

Although changes in the pulmonary vasculature are the primary cause of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), severity of symptoms and survival are strongly associated with right ventricular function, and right heart failure is the main cause of death in patients with PAH. Echocardiography and cardiac magnetic resonance imaging allow noninvasive evaluation of right ventricular function and stru...

The right ventricle in pulmonary arterial hypertension: disorders of metabolism, angiogenesis and adrenergic signaling in right ventricular failure.

The right ventricle (RV) is the major determinant of functional state and prognosis in pulmonary arterial hypertension. RV hypertrophy (RVH) triggered by pressure overload is initially compensatory but often leads to RV failure. Despite similar RV afterload and mass some patients develop adaptive RVH (concentric with retained RV function), while others develop maladaptive RVH, characterized by ...

General IntroductIon Pulmonary arterIal HyPertensIon and rIGHt Heart FaIlure