BACKGROUND Acceleration of the mitral ring during isovolumic contraction has been proposed as a load-independent index of global left ventricular (LV) contractility. This study investigates whether myocardial isovolumic acceleration (IVA) reflects regional contractility. METHODS AND RESULTS In acutely instrumented, anesthetized dogs, we measured LV pressure, myocardial long-axis velocities, a...

BACKGROUND Heart failure (HF) can be caused by left ventricular (LV) pump failure as well as by bradyarrhythmias. Hemodynamic differences between HF by LV pump failure and that by bradyarrhythmia have not been fully investigated. We hypothesized that HF by LV pump failure could be associated with both reduced cardiac output (CO) and increased LV filling pressure due to associated LV diastolic d...

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES We evaluated the utility of two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) left ventricular (LV) global myocardial deformity parameters for assessing LV diastolic function by comparing invasive measures of LV performance. SUBJECTS AND METHODS Echocardiography and LV pressure were assessed in 39 patients. Myocardial LV longitudinal, circumferential, and radial deform...

BACKGROUND Coronary artery calcification (CAC) is common in patients with chronic kidney disease on hemodialysis (CKD-5D) and is an important predictor of mortality. However, cardiac functional links between CAC and mortality have not been well established. This study tested the hypothesis that CAC increases mortality by adversely affecting cardiac function. METHODS Patients were recruited fr...

OBJECTIVES We studied the influence of abnormal glucose metabolism on left ventricular (LV) function and prognosis in 203 patients with acute myocardial infarction. BACKGROUND Abnormal glucose metabolism is associated with increased mortality after acute myocardial infarction. This appears to be particularly attributable to an increased incidence of post-infarction congestive heart failure. A...

BACKGROUND We determined the effects of levosimendan, a calcium sensitizer, on left ventricular (LV) diastolic function in patients with LV hypertrophy. METHODS AND RESULTS In this prospective, randomized, blinded study, 23 patients received either levosimendan (0.1 and 0.2 microg x kg(-1) x min(-1); n=12) or placebo (n=11) after aortic valve replacement for aortic stenosis. The effects on LV...

BACKGROUND Echocardiographic evaluations of the longitudinal axis of the left ventricular (LV) function have been used in the diagnosis and assessment of heart failure with normal ejection fraction (HFNEF). The evaluation of the global and segmental peak systolic longitudinal strains (PSLSs) by two-dimensional speckle tracking echocardiography (STE) may correlate with conventional echocardiogra...

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the influence of lipid and glucose metabolism in the metabolic syndrome on aortic pulse wave velocity (PWV) and left ventricular (LV) diastolic function using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS Aortic PWV and LV diastolic function were assessed using MRI in 16 subjects with the metabolic syndrome and 16 subjects without the metabolic syndrome m...

BACKGROUND Normal coronary blood flow is principally determined by a backward-traveling decompression (suction) wave in diastole. Dyssynchronous chronic heart failure may attenuate suction, because regional relaxation and contraction overlap in timing. We hypothesized that biventricular pacing, by restoring left ventricular (LV) synchronization and improving LV relaxation, might increase this s...

Myocardial hypertrophy and interstitial fibrosis are common in acromegalic hearts and may induce left ventricular (LV) dysfunction. The transmitral flow pattern was examined by pulsed-wave Doppler in 20 patients with active acromegaly and nine with acromegaly cured by pituitary microsurgery. Control groups consisted of 25 normal subjects and 13 patients with systemic hypertension. We related Do...