With the technique of right atrial pacing, left ventricular function was assessed in 21 normal subjects and in 13 patients with elevated left ventricular filling pressures. Since cardiac output does not change significantly with atrial pacing, the stroke volume decreases as an inverse function of the pacing rate. Stroke volume can thus be varied over a wide range, and by simultaneous measuremen...

Background: Transmitral Doppler flow indices are used to evaluate diastolic function. Recently, velocities measured by Doppler tissue imaging have been used as an index of left ventricular relaxation. Objective: To determine whether Doppler tissue velocities are influenced by alterations in preload. Methods: Left ventricular preload was altered in 17 patients (all men, mean (SD) age, 49 (8) yea...

To investigate the effects of verapamil on left ventricular systolic and diastolic function in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, we studied 14 patients at catheterization with a nonimaging scintillation probe before and after serial intravenous infusions of low-, medium-, and high-dose verapamil (total dose 0.17 to 0.72 mg/kg). Percent change in radionuclide stroke counts after verapam...

An abnormal diastolic function of left ventricle represents the main pathophysiological mechanism responsible for different clinical states such as restrictive cardiomyopathy, infiltrative myocardial disease and, specially, diastolic heart failure (also called heart failure with preserved systolic function), which is present in a large number of patients with a clinical picture of pulmonary con...

BACKGROUND Transmitral Doppler flow indices are used to evaluate diastolic function. Recently, velocities measured by Doppler tissue imaging have been used as an index of left ventricular relaxation. OBJECTIVE To determine whether Doppler tissue velocities are influenced by alterations in preload. METHODS Left ventricular preload was altered in 17 patients (all men, mean (SD) age, 49 (8) ye...

BACKGROUND The aim of the present study was to analyze the changes in left ventricular diastolic function that occur in patients with chronic severe left ventricular systolic dysfunction in the absence or presence of prolonged therapy with an angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor. METHODS AND RESULTS Left ventricular function data (cineangiography plus Millar, frame-by-frame analysis) and r...

Background. The aim of the present study was to analyze the changes in left ventricular diastolic function that occur in patients with chronic severe left ventricular systolic dysfunction in the absence or presence of prolonged therapy with an angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor. Methods and Results. Left ventricular function data (cineangiography plus Millar, frame-by-frame analysis) and r...

In order to assess left ventricular function in patients with rheumatic mitral stenosis, left ventricular function curves (plotting stroke work index vs left ventricular end-diastolic pressure) were constructed using angiotensin to augment, and nitroprusside to reduce, afterload. Hemodynamic responses to these alterations in afterload were measured. Resting ejection fractions and qualitative as...