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Ventricular tachycardia (VT) is a rare but potentially fatal complication in pregnancy. We present a case of a pregnant woman with cardiomyopathy due to frequent premature ventricular complexes (PVCs) and VT originating from the left ventricular outflow tract. After presenting late in the third trimester, the decision was made to deliver the fetus after 4 days of medication titration due to continued sustained episodes of VT. After delivery, the patient continued to have frequent PVCs and VT several months after discharge, and she ultimately underwent a PVC ablation with dramatic reduction in PVC burden and improvement in cardiomyopathy. Multidisciplinary planning with a pregnancy heart team led to appropriate contingency planning and a successful delivery. This case highlights how multidisciplinary management is best practice in pregnancy complicated by VT and the need for better diagnostic guidelines for PVC-induced cardiomyopathy in the setting of pregnancy., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© BMJ Publishing Group Limited 2024. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

Background: Exposure to pregnant women with cardiovascular disease (CVD) during cardiology fellowship training is limited and without a standard curriculum in the United States. The authors sought to evaluate a dedicated curriculum to teach management of CVD in pregnancy to improve general cardiology fellowship training., Methods: The authors developed a dedicated CVD in pregnancy curriculum for the general cardiology fellows at a large academic medical center in the fall of 2019. Fellows' knowledge was assessed via a board-style examination and exposure and attitudes related to the care of pregnant women with CVD were evaluated with a needs assessment questionnaire before and after the curriculum., Results: Of the 17 fellows who participated in the curriculum, 12 completed the needs assessment pre-curriculum and 9 post-curriculum. The mean (SD) number of pregnant women with CVD cared for by each fellow in the inpatient and outpatient settings were 0.75 (1.29) and 0.56 (0.73), respectively. After the curriculum, all fellows reported awareness of available resources to treat pregnant women with CVD, while a majority disagreed that they receive regular exposure to pregnant patients with CVD in their training. The authors observed significant increases in fellows' confidence in their knowledge of normal cardiovascular physiology of pregnancy, physical exam skills, and ability to care for pregnant women with valvular disease and arrhythmias from pre to post-curriculum. A total of 15 fellows completed the board-style exam pre-curriculum and 15 post-curriculum. Fellows' performance on the board-style examination improved slightly from before to after the curriculum (64.0 to 75.3% correct, p = 0.02)., Conclusions: A dedicated curriculum improved cardiology fellows' knowledge to recognize and treat CVD in pregnancy and improved confidence in caring for this unique patient population., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Background: In the SPRINT (Systolic Blood Pressure Intervention Trial), intensive BP treatment reduced acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF) events. Here, we report the effect on HF with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) and HF with reduced EF (HFrEF) and their subsequent outcomes., Methods: Incident ADHF was defined as hospitalization or emergency department visit, confirmed, and formally adjudicated by a blinded events committee using standardized protocols. HFpEF was defined as EF ≥45%, and HFrEF was EF <45%., Results: Among the 133 participants with incident ADHF who had EF assessment, 69 (52%) had HFpEF and 64 (48%) had HFrEF ( P value: 0.73). During average 3.3 years follow-up in those who developed incident ADHF, rates of subsequent all-cause and HF hospital readmission and mortality were high, but there were no significant differences between those who developed HFpEF versus HFrEF. Randomization to the intensive arm had no effect on subsequent mortality or readmissions after the initial ADHF event, irrespective of EF subtype. During follow-up among participants who developed HFpEF, although relatively modest number of events limited statistical power, age was an independent predictor of all-cause mortality, and Black race independently predicted all-cause and HF hospital readmission., Conclusions: In SPRINT, intensive BP reduction decreased both acute decompensated HFpEF and HFrEF events. After initial incident ADHF, rates of subsequent hospital admission and mortality were high and were similar for those who developed HFpEF or HFrEF. Randomization to the intensive arm did not alter the risks for subsequent all-cause, or HF events in either HFpEF or HFrEF. Among those who developed HFpEF, age and Black race were independent predictors of clinical outcomes. Registration: URL: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov; Unique identifier: NCT01206062.

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Background: Circulating microRNAs may reflect or influence pathological cardiac remodeling and contribute to atrial fibrillation (AF)., Objective: The purpose of this study was to identify candidate plasma microRNAs that are associated with echocardiographic phenotypes of atrial remodeling, and incident and prevalent AF in a community-based cohort., Methods: We analyzed left atrial function index (LAFI) of 1788 Framingham Offspring 8 participants. We quantified expression of 339 plasma microRNAs. We examined associations between microRNA levels with LAFI and prevalent and incident AF. We constructed pathway analysis of microRNAs' predicted gene targets to identify molecular processes involved in adverse atrial remodeling in AF., Results: The mean age of the participants was 66 ± 9 years, and 54% were women. Five percent of participants had prevalent AF at the initial examination and 9% (n = 157) developed AF over a median 8.6 years of follow-up (IQR 8.1-9.2 years). Plasma microRNAs were associated with LAFI (N = 73, p<0.0001). Six of these plasma microRNAs were significantly associated with incident AF, including 4 also associated with prevalent AF (microRNAs 106b, 26a-5p, 484, 20a-5p). These microRNAs are predicted to regulate genes involved in cardiac hypertrophy, inflammation, and myocardial fibrosis., Conclusions: Circulating microRNAs 106b, 26a-5p, 484, 20a-5p are associated with atrial remodeling and AF., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

The EACVI/ASE/Industry Task Force to standardize deformation imaging prepared this consensus document to standardize definitions and techniques for using two-dimensional (2D) speckle tracking echocardiography (STE) to assess left atrial, right ventricular, and right atrial myocardial deformation. This document is intended for both the technical engineering community and the clinical community at large to provide guidance on selecting the functional parameters to measure and how to measure them using 2D STE.This document aims to represent a significant step forward in the collaboration between the scientific societies and the industry since technical specifications of the software packages designed to post-process echocardiographic datasets have been agreed and shared before their actual development. Hopefully, this will lead to more clinically oriented software packages which will be better tailored to clinical needs and will allow industry to save time and resources in their development.

Background: Acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF) was a frequent common outcome in SPRINT (Systolic Blood Pressure Intervention Trial). We examined whether there was differential reduction in ADHF events from intensive blood pressure [BP] treatment among the 6 key, prespecified subgroups in SPRINT: age ≥75 years, prior cardiovascular disease, chronic kidney disease, women, black race, and 3 levels of baseline systolic BP (≤132 versus >132 to <145 versus ≥145 mm Hg)., Methods and Results: ADHF was defined as hospitalization for ADHF, confirmed and formally adjudicated by a blinded events committee using standardized protocols. At 3.29 years follow-up, there were 103 ADHF events (2.2%) among 4683 standard arm participants and 65 ADHF events (1.4%) among 4678 intensive arm participants (Cox proportional hazards ratio, 0.63; 95% confidence interval, 0.46-0.85; P value =0.003). In multivariable analyses, including treatment arm, baseline covariates that were significant predictors for ADHF included chronic kidney disease, cardiovascular disease, age≥75 years, body mass index, and higher systolic BP. The beneficial effect of the intervention on incident ADHF was consistent across all prespecified subgroups. Participants who had incident ADHF had markedly increased risk of subsequent cardiovascular events, including a 27-fold increase ( P <0.001) in cardiovascular death., Conclusions: Targeting a systolic BP<120 mm Hg, compared with <140 mm Hg, significantly reduced ADHF events, and the benefit was similar across all key, prespecified subgroups. Participants who developed ADHF had markedly increased risk for subsequent cardiovascular events and death, highlighting the importance of strategies aimed at prevention of ADHF, especially intensive BP reduction., Clinical Trial Registration: URL: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifier: NCT01206062., (© 2017 American Heart Association, Inc.)

Hypertension remains a major contributor to the global burden of disease. The measurement of blood pressure continues to have pitfalls related to both physiological aspects and acute variation. As the left ventricle (LV) remains one of the main target organs of hypertension, and echocardiographic measures of structure and function carry prognostic information in this setting, the development of a consensus position on the use of echocardiography in this setting is important. Recent developments in the assessment of LV hypertrophy and LV systolic and diastolic function have prompted the preparation of this document. The focus of this work is on the cardiovascular responses to hypertension rather than the diagnosis of secondary hypertension. Sections address the pathophysiology of the cardiac and vascular responses to hypertension, measurement of LV mass, geometry, and function, as well as effects of treatment., (Copyright © 2015 American Society of Echocardiography. This article has been co-published in the European Heart Journal – Cardiovascular Imaging. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Hypertension remains a major contributor to the global burden of disease. The measurement of blood pressure continues to have pitfalls related to both physiological aspects and acute variation. As the left ventricle (LV) remains one of the main target organs of hypertension, and echocardiographic measures of structure and function carry prognostic information in this setting, the development of a consensus position on the use of echocardiography in this setting is important. Recent developments in the assessment of LV hypertrophy and LV systolic and diastolic function have prompted the preparation of this document. The focus of this work is on the cardiovascular responses to hypertension rather than the diagnosis of secondary hypertension. Sections address the pathophysiology of the cardiac and vascular responses to hypertension, measurement of LV mass, geometry, and function, as well as effects of treatment., (Published on behalf of the European Society of Cardiology. This article has been co-published in the Journal of the American Society of Echocardiography. All rights reserved. © The Author 2015.)

Background: Patients with flow-limiting coronary stenoses exhibit elevated left ventricular end-diastolic pressure (LVEDP) and abnormal left ventricular (LV) relaxation., Objective: We investigated the relationship of extent and severity of coronary artery disease (CAD) by coronary CT angiography (CTA) to LVEDP and measures of LV diastolic dysfunction., Methods: We identified consecutive patients undergoing coronary CTA and transthoracic echocardiography who were assessed for diastolic function. CAD was evaluated on a per-patient, per-vessel, and per-segment basis for intraluminal diameter stenosis by using an 18-segment model (0 = none, 1 = 1%-49%, 2 = 50%-69%, and 3 = 70%-100%) and summed over segments to obtain overall coronary plaque burden (segment stenosis score [SSS]; maximum = 54). Transthoracic echocardiography evaluated mitral inflow E wave-to-A wave ratio, tissue Doppler early mitral annual tissue velocity axial excursion, stage of diastolic dysfunction, and LV dimensions and estimated LVEDP from the ratio of mitral inflow velocity to early mitral annular (medial) tissue velocity., Results: Four hundred seventy-eight patients (57% women; mean age, 57.9 ± 14.6 years; 24.9% prior CAD) comprised the study population. Increasing per-patient maximal coronary stenosis, number of vessels with obstructive stenosis, and SSS were associated with increased LVEDP. The prevalence of advanced diastolic dysfunction increased with greater number of obstructive vessels. In multivariable analyses, SSS was associated with increased LVEDP (0.8 mm Hg per tertile increase in SSS, 0.5-1.1; P < .001); reduced E' axial excursion (-0.3; 95% confidence interval [CI], -0.5 to -0.1; P = .001), increased LV mass index (1.6 g/m(2) per tertile increase in SSS; P = .04), and increased relative wall thickness (0.005; 95% CI, 0.004-0.009; P = .03), with consistent relationships persisting even among persons with per-patient maximal stenosis <50% and LV ejection fraction ≥ 55%., Conclusions: Extent and severity of obstructive as well as nonobstructive CAD by coronary CTA are associated with increased LVEDP and measures of diastolic dysfunction., (Copyright © 2013 Society of Cardiovascular Computed Tomography. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: The deposition of collagen fibrils in the myocardial extracellular matrix increases with age and plays a key role in the pathophysiology of heart failure (HF). We sought to determine the predictive value of serum markers of collagen turnover for incident HF and cardiovascular (CV) morbidity, mortality, and all-cause mortality in elderly individuals., Methods and Results: In 880 participants in the Cardiovascular Health Study (mean age, 77±6 years; 48% women), serum levels of carboxyl-terminal peptide of procollagen type I (PIP), carboxyl-terminal telopeptide of collagen type I (CITP), and amino-terminal peptide of procollagen type III (PIIINP) were measured in 4 groups: HF with reduced ejection fraction (HFREF; n=146, EF <55%); HF with preserved EF (HFPEF; n=175, EF ≥55%), control subjects with CV risk factors but not HF (CVD; n=280), and healthy control subjects free of CV disease (n=279). Relationships between these serum markers and outcome at follow-up of 12±4 years (range, 3-17 years) was determined in six models including those adjusted for conventional risk factors, renal function, NT-proBNP and agents which interfere with collagen synthesis. For the entire cohort, in unadjusted and adjusted models, both PIIINP and CITP were associated with myocardial infarction, incident HF, hospitalization for HF, cardiovascular and all-cause mortality. In healthy control subjects, CITP and PIIINP were associated with all-cause death. In control subjects with risk factors, CITP was associated with incident HF, and in participants with HFPEF, CITP was associated with hospitalization for HF. No collagen biomarker was associated with outcome in participants with HFREF, and PIP was not associated with outcome in the cohort or its subgroups., Conclusions: In both healthy and elderly individuals with CV disease at risk of developing HF, CITP and PIIINP are significantly associated with multiple adverse cardiac outcomes including myocardial infarction, HF, and death. Clinical Trial Registration- URL: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifier: NCT00005133.

Stress-induced cardiomyopathy is characterized by transient left ventricular dysfunction, usually followed by complete resolution. It is precipitated by severe stress, and the most common variant (takotsubo) is marked by apical hypokinesis and ballooning with basal hyperkinesis. Serotonin syndrome is best understood as excess serotonergic activity in the central and peripheral nervous system. This imposes significant stress on the body. We report what we believe is the 1st case of serotonin syndrome as an indirect cause of stress-induced cardiomyopathy with a reverse takotsubo profile.

Background: Myocardial fibrosis reflects excess collagen deposition in the extracellular left ventricular matrix, which has been associated with heart failure (HF). No studies have addressed the relation between fibrosis biomarkers and HF in the elderly., Methods and Results: Serum fibrosis markers were measured in 880 participants of the Cardiovascular Health Study (mean age 77+/-6 years, 48% women). Participants with systolic HF (n=131, left ventricular ejection fraction <55%) and those with diastolic HF (n=179, left ventricular ejection fraction > or =55%) were compared with controls (280 with cardiovascular risk factors, and 279 healthy individuals) using a nested case-control design. Fibrosis markers included carboxyl-terminal peptide of procollagen type I, carboxyl-terminal telopeptide of collagen type I, and amino-terminal peptide of procollagen type III. Echocardiography was used to document systolic and diastolic function parameters. Analysis of variance and logistic regression analysis (per tertile odds ratios [OR]), adjusted by age, gender, race, hypertension, atrial fibrillation, coronary heart disease, baseline serum glucose, serum cystatin C, serum creatinine, C-reactive protein, any angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor, spironolactone or any diuretic, NT-proBNP, and total bone mineral density were performed. Systolic HF was associated with significantly elevated carboxyl-terminal telopeptide of collagen type I (OR=2.6; 95% CI=1.2 to 5.7) and amino-terminal peptide of procollagen type III (OR=3.3; 95% CI=1.6 to 5.8), when adjusting for covariates. Associations of diastolic HF were significant for carboxyl-terminal telopeptide of collagen type I (OR=3.9; 95% CI=1.9 to 8.3) and amino-terminal peptide of procollagen type III (OR=2.7; 95% CI=1.4 to 5.4). HF was not associated with elevated carboxyl-terminal peptide of procollagen type I (P>0.10), and fibrosis markers did not significantly differ between HF with diastolic versus those with systolic dysfunction (P>0.10) whereas NT-proBNP mean values were higher in systolic heart failure than in diastolic heart failure (P<0.0001)., Conclusions: Fibrosis markers are significantly elevated in elderly individuals with diastolic or systolic HF. These associations remained significant when adjusting for covariates relevant to the aging process.

Congestive heart failure is a common cardiovascular disorder among adults and is a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Diastolic heart failure (DHF) is implicated in 1/3 to 1/2 of all heart failure cases and results from an abnormality of ventricular relaxation, compliance or filling. DHF differs from heart failure with reduced ejection fraction in epidemiology, pathophysiology, and natural history. Recent advances have improved our understanding of DHF. This review summarizes these advances and discusses their clinical implications as they pertain to the diagnosis and management of patients with DHF.

Background: Although 50% of hypertensive patients in the community are estimated to have diastolic dysfunction, there is no specific guideline for diastolic dysfunction therapy at present despite the condition's clear association with increased cardiovascular risk. Although the efficacy of angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs) in hypertension and left ventricular hypertrophy regression has been established, the effect of angiotensin II receptor blockade on intrinsic parameters of diastolic function has not been evaluated in large-scale studies., Methods: The VALIDD Trial is an investigator-initiated randomized, controlled, double-blind clinical trial on approximately 350 patients designed to explore whether antihypertensive therapy with the ARB valsartan, in addition to standard therapy, would improve intrinsic diastolic properties of the myocardium in patients with hypertension and evidence of diastolic dysfunction. The result of such therapy will be compared with placebo after 38 weeks of treatment. The primary efficacy variable is change in early diastolic lateral mitral annular relaxation velocity measured by tissue Doppler imaging on week 38., Conclusions: We expect the VALIDD Trial to provide novel insights into the specific effects of ARBs on diastolic dysfunction, as assessed by tissue Doppler imaging, in hypertensive patients. The trial may provide clinically useful data on whether such therapy can directly improve diastolic function in patients with hypertension.

The diagnosis and treatment of aortic valve disease can be challenging for the clinician. Aortic regurgitation (AR) may be evaluated with Doppler echocardiography or catheterization. Medical therapy consists of vasodilators. Surgery may be appropriate for patients with symptoms, left ventricular dilatation or diminished left ventricle systolic function. Aortic stenosis (AS) can be evaluated with the same modalities as AR. There is evidence that statin therapy may slow the progression of AS. Contrary to conventional wisdom, vasodilators are safe and effective in certain patients. Surgical valve replacement is performed for symptoms and in certain asymptomatic patients.

Congestive heart failure in the elderly is recognized as a national public health priority; however, clinical diagnosis can be problematic in elderly persons, many of whom have a history of heart failure in the presence of normal or only minimally decreased ejection fraction. Findings of the Cardiovascular Health Study have underscored the common substrate and predictors underlying heart failure both with decreased ejection fraction and with normal ejection fraction (i.e., diastolic heart failure). Coronary heart disease, systolic blood pressure, and C-reactive protein (a measure of inflammation) are predictive of heart failure independent of ejection fraction. Left atrial size, arguably a marker of the effects of impaired diastolic filling over time, is increased in both systolic and diastolic heart failure of the elderly, as is atrial natriuretic peptide. The outcome of heart failure in elderly persons is poor both for systolic and diastolic heart failure. Moreover, many community-dwelling elderly persons have decreased ejection fraction without heart failure. In these persons the chance of death is similar to that of participants with diastolic heart failure. Since most clinical trials have studied younger patients with predominantly systolic heart failure, the appropriate therapy for heart failure in elderly persons remains to be determined.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the serum levels of carbohydrate antigen 125 (CA125) in patients with congestive heart failure (CHF)., Background: CA125 is a glycoprotein produced by serosal epithelium, found to be increased in ovarian cancer., Methods: Serum levels of CA125 were obtained in 286 patients (122 males and 164 females; age 69 +/- 13 years) with CHF (left ventricular ejection fraction 30 +/- 11%). A non-invasive evaluation was obtained by Doppler echocardiography; right heart catheterization was performed in 88 patients. An attempt to adjust medical therapy to maximally tolerated doses was done, and CA125 was repeated after 18 days (range 7 to 40) in 80 patients. The mean follow-up duration was 6 +/- 3 months in 240 patients., Results: The mean value of CA125 was 68 +/- 83 U/ml (range 3 to 537): 71 +/- 85 in men and 56 +/- 64 U/ml in women (p = NS). CA125 above the normal value (<35 U/ml) was found in 152 (53%) of 286 patients; it was higher in patients with advanced New York Heart Association (NYHA) functional class (n = 140 in class I/II: 15 +/- 9 U/ml; n = 63 in class III: 57 +/- 18 U/ml; n = 83 in class IV: 167 +/- 94 U/ml; p < 0.005). CA125 was related to the deceleration time of early filling on transmitral Doppler (r = -0.63, p < 0.05) and to pulmonary artery wedge pressure (r = 0.66, p < 0.05) and right atrial pressure (r = 0.69, p < 0.05). During 6 +/- 3 months of follow-up, a combined end point of mortality and CHF hospitalization was observed in 16 of 127 patients with CA125 <35 U/ml, compared with 70 of 113 patients with CA125 >35 U/ml (p < 0.01). After medical treatment optimization, NYHA class decreased by more than one grade in 56 of 80 patients and was unchanged or increased in 24 patients: CA125 decreased from 125 +/- 98 to 53 +/- 61 U/ml (p < 0.001) in the former and changed from 130 +/- 81 to 153 +/- 61 U/ml (p = NS) in the latter., Conclusions: Our data suggest that CA125 is related to CHF severity and short-term prognosis. Furthermore, fluctuations of CA125 serum levels over time may reflect changes induced by therapy. Therefore, measurements of CA 125 serum levels might be proposed for the serial assessment of CHF patients.

Radiation-associated valvular dysfunction is characterized by variable aortic and mitral valve thickening. A review of three patients assessed echocardiographically revealed that radiation-associated valvular dysfunction after radiation treatment for Hodgkin's disease may be characterized by a unique and consistent pattern of thickening of the aortic and mitral valves involving the aortic-mitral curtain.

Background: The diagnosis of diastolic heart failure is generally made in patients who have the signs and symptoms of heart failure and a normal left ventricular (LV) ejection fraction. Whether the diagnosis also requires an objective measurement of parameters that reflect the diastolic properties of the ventricle has not been established., Methods and Results: We hypothesized that the vast majority of patients with heart failure and a normal ejection fraction exhibit abnormal LV diastolic function. We tested this hypothesis by prospectively identifying 63 patients with a history of heart failure and an echocardiogram suggesting LV hypertrophy and a normal ejection fraction; we then assessed LV diastolic function during cardiac catheterization. All 63 patients had standard hemodynamic measurements; 47 underwent detailed micromanometer and echocardiographic-Doppler studies. The LV end-diastolic pressure was >16 mm Hg in 58 of the 63 patients; thus, 92% had elevated end-diastolic pressure (average, 24+/-8 mm Hg). The time constant of LV relaxation (average, 51+/-15 ms) was abnormal in 79% of the patients. The E/A ratio was abnormal in 48% of the patients. The E-wave deceleration time (average, 349+/-140 ms) was abnormal in 64% of the patients. One or more of the indexes of diastolic function were abnormal in every patient., Conclusions: Objective measurement of LV diastolic function serves to confirm rather than establish the diagnosis of diastolic heart failure. The diagnosis of diastolic heart failure can be made without the measurement of parameters that reflect LV diastolic function.

This study assesses and evaluates left ventricular (LV) contractile function after treatment of hypertension, with an emphasis on LV midwall mechanics. Although prior studies have assessed cardiac function after hypertension treatment, none has performed an analysis of LV midwall mechanics. The Veterans Affairs Study of monotherapy in hypertension was a study large enough to permit analysis of midwall mechanics across a wide spectrum of mass changes accompanying hypertension treatment. LV chamber function was assessed by computing fractional shortening at the endocardial surface; LV midwall shortening was used to define myocardial function. Both shortening indexes were related to end-systolic circumferential stress in the entire population by partitioning values of mass and relative wall thickness changes. Two hundred sixty-eight patients were studied at baseline and again after a 1- or 2-year period. In the entire group, there was no significant change in circumferential shortening either at the endocardium (38 +/- 8% at baseline vs 37 +/- 7% at follow up, p = 0.29) or in shortening at the midwall (20 +/- 3% vs 20 +/- 3%, p = 0.53). However, 83 patients had a reduction in relative wall thickness and an increase in midwall shortening. The change in midwall shortening was significantly related to changes in relative wall thickness (r = -0.53, p = 0.0001). Thus, reductions in LV mass associated with antihypertensive therapy are generally not accompanied by a decrement in LV chamber or myocardial function. Improvement in midwall shortening is more closely related to normalization of LV geometry than to reduction in LV mass.

Objectives: We sought to assess the ability of echocardiographic indices of systolic and diastolic function to predict incident congestive heart failure (CHF)., Background: Noninvasive indices of subclinical systolic and/or diastolic dysfunction that can be used to identify patients in a transition phase between normal cardiac function and clinical CHF would be valuable. Though midwall shortening and Doppler mitral inflow patterns are seemingly well suited to predict subsequent CHF, the predictive value of these indices has not been investigated., Methods: We studied 2,671 participants in the Cardiovascular Health Study who were free of coronary heart disease, CHF or atrial fibrillation. Clinical and quantitative echocardiographic data were obtained in all participants., Results: At a mean follow-up of 5.2 years (range 0 to 6 years), 170 participants (6.4% of the cohort) developed CHF. Although 96% of these participants had normal or borderline ejection fraction (EF) at baseline, only 57% had normal or borderline EF at the time of hospitalization. In multivariate modeling, fractional shortening at the endocardium (relative risk [RR] 1.85 per 10-unit decrease, confidence interval [CI] 1.27 to 2.39), fractional shortening at the midwall (RR 1.29 per five-unit decrease, 95% CI 1.11-1.51) and peak Doppler peak E (RR 1.15 for each 0.1 M/s increment; CI 1.02 to 1.21) independently predicted incident CHF. Both high and low Doppler E/A ratios were predictive of incident CHF., Conclusions: Roughly half the occurrences of CHF in this population are associated with normal or borderline EF. Echocardiographic findings suggestive of subclinical contractile dysfunction and diastolic filling abnormalities are both predictive of subsequent CHF. The standard (FSendo) and refined (FSmw) parameters of systolic function performed similarly in this regard, though subjects with left ventricular hypertrophy and depressed FSmw are at particularly high risk for subsequent CHF.

Objectives: We sought to determine whether the cardiocyte microtubule network densification characteristic of animal models of severe pressure overload cardiac hypertrophy occurs in human patients., Background: In animal models of clinical entities causative of severe right and left ventricular (LV) pressure overload hypertrophy, increased density of the cellular microtubule network, through viscous loading of active myofilaments, causes contractile dysfunction that is normalized by microtubule depolymerization. These linked contractile and cytoskeletal abnormalities, based on augmented tubulin synthesis and microtubule stability, progress during the transition to heart failure., Methods: Thirteen patients with symptomatic aortic stenosis (AS) (aortic valve area = 0.6 +/- 0.1 cm2) and two control patients without AS were studied. No patient had aortic insufficiency, significant coronary artery disease or abnormal segmental LV wall motion. Left ventricular function was assessed by echocardiography and cardiac catheterization before aortic valve replacement. Left ventricular biopsies obtained at surgery before cardioplegia were separated into free and polymerized tubulin fractions before analysis. Midwall LV fractional shortening versus mean LV wall stress in the AS patients was compared with that in 84 normal patients., Results: Four AS patients had normal LV function and microtubule protein concentration; six had decreased LV function and increased microtubule protein concentration, and three had borderline LV function and microtubule protein concentration, such that there was an inverse relationship of midwall LV fractional shortening to microtubule protein., Conclusions: In patients, as in animal models of severe LV pressure overload hypertrophy, myocardial dysfunction is associated with increased microtubules, suggesting that this may be one mechanism contributing to the development of congestive heart failure in patients with AS.

Although congestive heart failure (CHF) is a common syndrome among the elderly, there is a relative paucity of population-based data, particularly regarding CHF with normal systolic left ventricular function. A total of 4,842 independent living, community-dwelling subjects aged 66 to 103 years received questionnaires on medical history, family history, personal habits, physical activity, and socioeconomic status, confirmation of pre-existing cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease, anthropometric measurements, casual seated random-zero blood pressure, forced vital capacity and expiratory volume in 1 second, 12-lead supine electrocardiogram, fasting glucose, creatinine, plasma lipids, carotid artery wall thickness by ultrasonography, and echocardiography-Doppler examinations. Participants with at least 1 confirmed episode of CHF by Cardiovascular Health Study criteria were considered prevalent for CHF. The prevalence of CHF was 8.8% and was associated with increased age, particularly for women, in whom it increased more than twofold from age 65 to 69 years (6.6%) to age > or = 85 years (14%). In multivariate analysis, subjects with CHF were more likely to be older (odds ratio [OR] 1.2 for 5-year difference, men OR 1.1), and more often had a history of myocardial infarction (OR 7.3), atrial fibrillation (OR 3.0), diabetes mellitus (OR 2.1), renal dysfunction (OR 2.0 for creatinine < or = 1.5 mg/ dl), and chronic pulmonary disease (OR 1.8; women only). The echocardiographic correlates of CHF were increased left atrial and ventricular dimensions. Importantly, 55% of subjects with CHF had normal left ventricular systolic function and 80% had either normal or only mildly reduced systolic function. Among subjects with CHF, women had normal systolic function more frequently than men (67% vs 42%; p < 0.001). Thus, CHF is common among community-dwelling elderly. It increases with age and is usually associated with normal systolic LV function, particularly among women. The finding that a large proportion of elderly with CHF have preserved LV systolic function is important because there is a paucity of data to guide management in this dominant subset.

Background: It is still unclear whether substantial regression of hypertensive left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) and normalization of chamber geometry are associated with improved left ventricular (LV) myocardial function., Methods and Results: Midwall mechanics were evaluated in 152 patients undergoing 1 year of effective antihypertensive treatment. Two-dimensionally directed M-mode echocardiography was performed as follows: (1) after a 4-week placebo "run-in" period, (2) after 1 year of treatment with 20 mg/d lisinopril (alone or associated with 12.5 to 25 mg/d hydrochlorothiazide), and (3) after a final 1-month placebo period to allow blood pressure (24-hour average ambulatory monitoring) to return to pretreatment levels. Treatment-induced reductions in blood pressure (from 149+/-16/95+/-11 to 131+/-12/83+/-10 mm Hg, P:<0.05) and circumferential end-systolic wall stress (from 84+/-22 to 72+/-19 g/cm(2), P:<0.05) were associated with a marked reduction in LV mass index (from 159+/-30 to 133+/-26 g/m(2), P:<0.05). LVH regression was accompanied by an increase in midwall fractional shortening (from 19.7+/-2.7% to 20.9+/-2.7%, P:<0.05) and by a decrease in relative wall thickness (from 48.2+/-7.7% to 44.1+/-6.7%, P:<0.05). The improvement in midwall function associated with afterload reduction and substantial LVH regression persisted after antihypertensive therapy withdrawal and restoration of the hypertensive state. Despite a significant increase in end-systolic wall stress, further LV chamber remodeling did not occur. The preservation of relative wall thickness was associated with a persistent improvement in midwall systolic function., Conclusions: Regression of concentric LVH is associated with an improvement of midwall systolic function, which is more dependent on the normalization of LV geometry than on the reduction in LV systolic stress.

Left ventricular (LV) ejection fraction is normal in most patients with uncomplicated hypertension, but the prevalence and correlates of decreased LV systolic chamber and myocardial function, as assessed by midwall mechanics, in hypertensive patients identified as being at high risk by the presence of LV hypertrophy on the electrocardiogram has not been established. Therefore echocardiograms were obtained in 913 patients with stage I to III hypertension and LV hypertrophy determined by electrocardiographic (Cornell voltage duration or Sokolow-Lyon voltage) criteria after 14 days' placebo treatment. The 913 patients' mean age was 66 years, and 42% were women. Fourteen percent had subnormal LV endocardial shortening, 24% had subnormal midwall shortening, and 13% had reduced stress-corrected midwall shortening. Nineteen percent had normal LV geometry, 11% had concentric remodeling, 47% had eccentric hypertrophy, and 23% had concentric hypertrophy. LV systolic performance evaluated by LV endocardial shortening and midwall shortening was impaired in 10% of patients with normal geometry, 20% with concentric remodeling, 27% with eccentric hypertrophy, and 42% with concentric hypertrophy. Relative wall thickness, an important independent correlate of LV chamber function, was related directly to endocardial shortening and negatively to midwall shortening and stress-corrected midwall shortening. LV mass was the strongest independent correlate of impaired endocardial shortening, midwall shortening, or both. In hypertensive patients with electrocardiographic LV hypertrophy, indexes of systolic performance are subnormal in 10% to 42% with different LV geometric patterns. Depressed endocardial shortening is most common in patients with eccentric LV hypertrophy, whereas impaired midwall shortening is most prevalent in patients with concentric remodeling or hypertrophy. Thus, in hypertensive patients with electrocardiographic LV hypertrophy, impaired LV performance occurs most often, and is associated with greater LV mass and relative wall thickness and may contribute to the high rate of cardiovascular events.

Suboptimal left ventricular (LV) cavity visualization and endocardial border delineation often compromise the clinical utility of echocardiography. This study examines the safety and efficacy of perflutren, a novel ultrasound contrast agent, for LV cavity opacification and endocardial border delineation in patients with suboptimal baseline echocardiograms. In a multicenter, randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind trial, 211 patients with suspected cardiac disease and suboptimal baseline echocardiograms were enrolled at 17 sites. Two intravenous injections of either placebo (saline) or perflutren (5 or 10 microl/kg) were given approximately 30 minutes apart. Images of the apical 4- and 2-chamber views were acquired and scored. Perflutren opacified the LV cavity after both dosages (5 and 10 microl/kg dosages). Clinically useful contrast was observed in 89% of patients who received perflutren and in 0% of patients who received placebo (p < 0.01). Quantitative assessment of LV opacification with videodensitometry showed similar results. The mean duration of clinically useful contrast was 90 seconds. Improvement in endocardial border delineation was demonstrated in 91% of patients who received perflutren and in 12% of those who received placebo (p < 0.001). Following perflutren, an average of 4 more segments per patient were evaluable compared with baseline. Salvage of nondiagnostic baseline examinations by perflutren was demonstrated in 48% of eligible subjects. The safety profile of perflutren was similar to placebo. These data indicate that administration of perflutren to patients with suboptimal baseline images is well tolerated and provides substantial LV cavity opacification and improvement in endocardial border delineation.

Objectives: We sought to characterize the predictors of incident congestive heart failure (CHF), as determined by central adjudication, in a community-based elderly population., Background: The elderly constitute a growing proportion of patients admitted to the hospital with CHF, and CHF is a leading source of morbidity and mortality in this group. Elderly patients differ from younger individuals diagnosed with CHF in terms of biologic characteristics., Methods: We analyzed data from the Cardiovascular Health Study, a prospective population-based study of 5,888 elderly people >65 years old (average 73 +/- 5, range 65 to 100) at four locations. Multiple laboratory measures of cardiovascular structure and function, blood chemistries and functional assessments were obtained., Results: During an average follow-up of 5.5 years (median 6.3), 597 participants developed incident CHF (rate 19.3/1,000 person-years). The incidence of CHF increased progressively across age groups and was greater in men than in women. On multivariate analysis, other independent predictors included prevalent coronary heart disease, stroke or transient ischemic attack at baseline, diabetes, systolic blood pressure (BP), forced expiratory volume 1 s, creatinine >1.4 mg/dl, C-reactive protein, ankle-arm index <0.9, atrial fibrillation, electrocardiographic (ECG) left ventricular (LV) mass, ECG ST-T segment abnormality, internal carotid artery wall thickness and decreased LV systolic function. Population-attributable risk, determined from predictors of risk and prevalence, was relatively high for prevalent coronary heart disease (13.1%), systolic BP > or =140 mm Hg (12.8%) and a high level of C-reactive protein (9.7%), but was low for subnormal LV function (4.1%) and atrial fibrillation (2.2%)., Conclusions: The incidence of CHF is high in the elderly and is related mainly to age, gender, clinical and subclinical coronary heart disease, systolic BP and inflammation. Despite the high relative risk of subnormal systolic LV function and atrial fibrillation, the actual population risk of these for CHF is small because of their relatively low prevalence in community-dwelling elderly people.

A 68-year-old woman was admitted to hospital for possible mitral valve surgery for severe mitral regurgitation (MR). Six months before admission, a DDD pacemaker was implanted for symptomatic bradycardia. She developed atrial fibrillation and the pacer was changed to a VVI mode. At cardiac catheterization, the pulmonary artery and wedge pressures were elevated; coronary angiography showed non-obstructive coronary artery disease. 2-D echocardiography confirmed preserved left ventricular function, severe MR and moderate tricuspid regurgitation. The change in pacing had a dramatic effect on MR severity; ventricular pacing was associated with a MR jet that occupied a larger area of the left atrium than with the unpaced rhythm, the continuous-wave mitral regurgitant Doppler profile was 'dagger'-shaped, and the signal intensity stronger compared with the unpaced rhythm. These findings are consistent with severe MR. The pacer was reprogrammed to reduce the pacing rate from 70 to 45 beats/min, allowing an unpaced rhythm for the most part. The patient improved and was discharged two days later. Six months later she was asymptomatic; repeat echocardiography confirmed mild to moderate MR.

This study demonstrated that, compared with normal controls, coronary artery dimensions are not increased appropriately for the increase in left ventricular mass in patients with nonischemic cardiomyopathy. The extent of coronary artery dimension to left ventricular mass mismatch did not correlate with the severity of heart failure.

To assess the incremental value of velocity of shortening velocity parameters compared with simpler, more widely used, extent of shortening parameters in compensated left ventricular hypertrophy, we studied 52 patients with left ventricular hypertrophy and 63 age-matched controls. Velocity parameters did not provide incremental information beyond that obtained by extent of shortening parameters.

Background: Increased sympathetic activity contributes to the progression of heart failure. Adenosine counteracts sympathetic activity by inhibition of presynaptic norepinephrine release and attenuation of the metabolic and contractile responses to beta-adrenergic stimulation. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that the adenosinergic effects (uptake blockade) of dipyridamole may retard the progression of pressure overload hypertrophy in the rat., Methods and Results: To verify that the administration of dipyridamole increases myocardial adenosine levels in the rat, epicardial adenosine concentrations were measured from 12 isolated, perfused rat hearts exposed to 10(-7) and 10(-6) mol/l dipyridamole. Adenosine concentrations were increased with both doses of dipyridamole. Also, 9 weeks of dipyridamole treatment resulted in decreased sensitivity to the adenosine A1-receptor agonist, 2-chloro-N6-cyclopentyl adenosine, suggesting that dipyridamole increases adenosine levels in the intact rat. In the second part of the study, rats were divided into either abdominal aortic-banded or sham-operated groups and were treated with either dipyridamole or saline. After 9 weeks of treatment, two-dimensional Doppler echocardiographic studies were performed and the adrenergic responsiveness to 10(-8) mol/l isoproterenol was assessed in vitro. The saline-treated banded group demonstrated concentric left ventricular hypertrophy, abnormal diastolic filling, increased wet lung weights and attenuation of adrenergic responsiveness. In contrast, the dipyridamole-treated banded rats exhibited more concentric geometry (higher relative wall thickness with similar left ventricular mass), normal left ventricular filling characteristics and preserved adrenergic responsiveness. Systolic left ventricular chamber and myocardial function, as assessed by stress-endocardial and midwall shortening relationships, were not significantly altered by banding or dipyridamole treatment., Conclusions: Dipyridamole treatment prevented the development of abnormal left ventricular chamber filling, preserved adrenergic responsiveness and appeared to attenuate detrimental chamber remodeling in rats with pressure overload hypertrophy.

Background: Because uncontrolled echocardiographic surveys suggested that up to 30% to 38% of users of fenfluramine and dexfenfluramine had valvular disease, these drugs were withdrawn from the market., Objective: To determine the risk for new or worsening valvular abnormalities among users of fenfluramine or dexfenfluramine who underwent echocardiography before they began to take these medications., Design: Cohort study., Setting: Academic primary care practices., Patients: 46 patients who used fenfluramine or dexfenfluramine for 14 days or more and had echocardiograms obtained before therapy., Measurements: Follow-up echocardiography. The primary outcome was new or worsening valvulopathy, defined as progression of either aortic or mitral regurgitation by at least one degree of severity and disease that met U.S. Food and Drug Administration criteria (at least mild aortic regurgitation or moderate mitral regurgitation)., Results: Two patients (4.3% [95% CI, 0.6% to 14.8%]) receiving fenfluramine-phentermine developed valvular heart disease. One had baseline bicuspid aortic valve and mild aortic regurgitation that progressed to moderate regurgitation. The second patient developed new moderate aortic insufficiency., Conclusion: Users of diet medications are at risk for valvular heart disease. However, the incidence may be lower than that reported previously.

The aim of this study was to assess the presence of Chlamydia pneumoniae antibodies in patients with angiographically verified atherosclerotic coronary artery disease. A total of 114 consecutive patients were investigated between April 1995 and June 1996. Patients were divided into two groups: 72 patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI; 53 men, 19 women, mean age 62.27 +/- 10.1 years), and 42 patients with chronic ischemic heart disease (CAD; 37 men, 5 women, mean age 62.75 +/- 9.2 years). A control group of 50 normal subjects matched for age (mean 62 +/- 9 years), sex, social status and geographical area was used. Identification of Chlamydia pneumoniae was carried out with the microimmunofluorescence method, on two serum samples taken from patients on admission and after 15 days. The IgM, IgG and IgA anti-Chlamydia pneumoniae titers were assessed, values > or = 1:16, > or = 1:32 and > or = 1:8 being respectively considered positive. Acute (IgM > or = 16 or four fold rise of IgG titer) and chronic (IgG > or = 128 e IgA > or = 32 or only elevated IgA titer) infections were analyzed. IgM antibodies were not found in AMI, CAD and control groups. IgG positivity (IgG > or = 32) was found in 38% of the control group, in 58.3% of the AMI group (p < 0.05) and 42.8% of the CAD group (p < 0.01). IgA positivity > or = 8) was found in 22% of the control group, in 31.9% of the AMI group (NS) and in 33.3% of the CAD group (p < or = 0.05). Acute infection was observed in 5.5% of AMI patients and in 12% of CAD patients (NS), whereas no subject of the control group showed these values. Chronic infection was observed in 9.7% of AMI patients and in 16.6% of CAD patients (NS) whereas nobody of the control group showed these values. In conclusion, our results suggest that Chlamydia pneumoniae infection is present only in the AMI and CAD groups. It is possible to suppose that this infection may be linked to atherosclerosis through an endothelial damage or a systemic endogenous procoagulant and inflammatory activity.

Objectives: This study was performed to compare the safety and efficacy of intravenous 2% dodecafluoropentane (DDFP) emulsion (EchoGen) with that of active control (sonicated human albumin [Albunex]) for left ventricular (LV) cavity opacification in adult patients with a suboptimal echocardiogram., Background: The development of new fluorocarbon-based echocardiographic contrast agents such as DDFP has allowed opacification of the left ventricle after peripheral venous injection. We hypothesized that DDFP was clinically superior to the Food and Drug Administration-approved active control., Methods: This was a Phase III, multicenter, single-blind, active controlled trial. Sequential intravenous injections of active control and DDFP were given 30 min apart to 254 patients with a suboptimal echocardiogram, defined as one in which the endocardial borders were not visible in at least two segments in either the apical two- or four-chamber views. Studies were interpreted in blinded manner by two readers and the investigators., Results: Full or intermediate LV cavity opacification was more frequently observed after DDFP than after active control (78% vs. 31% for reader A; 69% vs. 34% for reader B; 83% vs. 55% for the investigators, p < 0.0001). LV cavity opacification scores were higher with DDFP (2.0 to 2.5 vs. 1.1 to 1.5, p < 0.0001). Endocardial border delineation was improved by DDFP in 88% of patients versus 45% with active control (p < 0.001). Similar improvement was seen for duration of contrast effect, salvage of suboptimal echocardiograms, diagnostic confidence and potential to affect patient management. There was no difference between agents in the number of patients with adverse events attributed to the test agent (9% for DDFP vs. 6% for active control, p = 0.92)., Conclusions: This Phase III multicenter trial demonstrates that DDFP is superior to sonicated human albumin for LV cavity opacification, endocardial border definition, duration of effect, salvage of suboptimal echocardiograms, diagnostic confidence and potential to influence patient management. The two agents had similar safety profiles.

The clinical arena in which we must consider the role of echocardiography is characterized by 2 fundamental findings: (1) most patients with chest pain and suspected acute myocardial infarction (MI) do not present diagnostic electrocardiograms; and (2) an early and correct diagnosis is necessary to match the patient with the most adequate treatment. Echocardiography may be very useful in the coronary care unit, allowing a correct diagnosis of ischemic heart disease when electrocardiography is unclear, even before the rise of cardiac enzymes is detected. It may also play a role in decision-making for thrombolytic therapy. In addition, echocardiography provides useful information for early risk stratification. In fact, although high-risk patients are well identified by simple clinical or instrumental variables (i.e., Killip classification, enzymatic data, blood-gas analysis, electrocardiogram, etc.), most patients (>60%) are identified as low risk, and several subjects classified into the low-risk groups have a poor prognosis and are not detected using a single variable. In our experience, 2-dimensional echocardiography was able to further stratify between patients of low-risk classes. Therefore, echocardiography plays an important role in the early stratification of acute MI patients, especially in those without signs or symptoms of heart failure.

With the longer life expectancy of the population, calcific aortic stenosis has become a common cardiac problem in the elderly. When patients with moderate to severe aortic stenosis become symptomatic, the prognosis is usually poor in absence of valve replacement and sudden death is a feared complication. It has been hypothesized that malignant ventricular arrhythmias could be responsible for the high incidence of sudden death in symptomatic patients with aortic stenosis. The purpose of this review is to analyze the prevalence, the electrophysiologic mechanisms, and the possible role of ventricular arrhythmias in the development of symptoms and in the outcome of adult subjects with aortic stenosis.

Objectives: We tested the hypothesis that postoperative left ventricular (LV) systolic wall stress can be predicted from the change in LV diastolic dimension and ejection fraction (EF) after surgical correction of chronic mitral regurgitation (MR). We used a simple mathematic model to predict postoperative systolic stress from end-diastolic dimension and EF. The validity of this model was assessed using data from 21 patients undergoing mitral valve replacement (MVR) for chronic MR., Background: The decline in EF after MVR for chronic MR is traditionally thought to be a consequence of a postoperative increase in afterload, caused by closure of a low resistance runoff into the left atrium. However, consideration of the Laplace relation suggests that afterload does not necessarily increase after the operation., Methods: A spherical mathematical model of the left ventricle was used to define the relations between LV end-diastolic dimension, systolic wall stress and EF. To test the validity of this model, clinical and echocardiographic data were obtained from 21 patients with chronic MR before and 10 to 14 days after MVR. These echocardiographic data were examined with reference to plots derived from the mathematical model., Results: Patients were categorized as those in whom end-diastolic dimension declined after the operation (group I, n = 15) and those with no reduction in end-diastolic dimension (group II, n = 6). Group I patients were subclassified into those undergoing MVR with chordal preservation (group Ia) and those undergoing MVR with chordal transection (group Ib). In groups Ib and II, there were significant reductions in EF (56 +/- 3% to 48 +/- 3% in group Ib and 50 +/- 2% to 40 +/- 3% in group II, both p < 0.05), but the changes in end-diastolic dimension and wall stress differed. In group Ib, end-diastolic dimension decreased and systolic wall stress was unchanged; in group II, end-diastolic dimension was unchanged and wall stress increased. In contrast, group Ia patients experienced a substantial reduction in end-diastolic dimension, no change in EF and a reduction in stress. The corresponding length-force-shortening coordinates closely approximate those predicted from a mathematic model relating end-diastolic dimension to EF and systolic wall stress., Conclusions: Concordant echocardiographic and mathematical model results indicate that postoperative changes in systolic stress are directly related to changes in chamber size and that LV afterload may fall when chordal preservation techniques are used in combination with MVR.

Hypertensive patients with concentric remodeling (relative wall thickness > or = 0.45 and normal left ventricular [LV] mass index) may have poor outcomes. It is unclear whether systolic function abnormalities, shown to be present in some patients with concentric LV hypertrophy (increased LV mass index and relative wall thickness > or = 0.45), are also present in patients with concentric remodeling. To assess LV pump, chamber, and myocardial function in hypertensive men with concentric remodeling, clinical and echocardiographic data of 118 hypertensive men with concentric remodeling were compared with data from 104 hypertensive men with normal relative wall thickness and normal LV mass index. Chamber function was assessed by relating endocardial fractional shortening to end-systolic circumferential stress, myocardial function was assessed by relating midwall fractional shortening to circumferential stress, and pump performance was assessed by stroke volume (Teichholz method). Compared with hypertensive men with normal relative wall thickness, concentric-remodeling patients had lower stroke volume (84 +/- 20 versus 111 +/- 20 mL, P < .001). Endocardial shortening was no different between the two groups (38 +/- 7% versus 40 +/- 7%, P=NS), but midwall shortening was lower in patients with concentric remodeling (20 +/- 3% versus 22 +/- 3%, P < .001), despite lower end-systolic stress (81 +/- 25 versus 117 +/- 37 g/cm2, P < .001). Endocardial and midwall stress-shortening regression plots classified 28% and 42%, respectively, of the concentric remodeling patients below the fifth percentile of hypertensive patients with normal geometry. These data indicate that indexes of chamber and myocardial function are lower than those observed in hypertensive patients with normal geometry. Thus, indices of chamber, myocardial, and pump performance indicate potential abnormalities in systolic function in men with concentric remodeling.

The routine use of the peak early-to-peak atrial velocity, early velocity integral-to-atrial velocity integral, and early velocity integral-to-the total filling velocity integral ratios are limited because they are influenced by heart rate and atrioventricular delay. Hence, we sought to establish whether these ratios could be normalized to account for the differences in cycle length (RR interval) and diastolic filling period when heart rate and atrioventricular delay were altered in 18 patients with programmable dual-chamber pacemakers. We further explored whether these and other parameters of the mitral velocity profile could be used to characterize the mitral filling pattern during isoproterenol and methoxamine infusions-interventions that are likely to change both heart rate and left ventricular filling. The early velocity integral-to-atrial velocity integral and early velocity integral-to-the total filling velocity integral ratios were more sensitive to minor variations in heart rate and atrioventricular delay than the peak early-to-peak atrial velocity ratio. The early velocity integral-to-atrial velocity integral and early velocity integral-to-total filling velocity integral ratios could not be normalized to account for differences in RR interval or diastolic filling period, whereas the peak early-to-peak atrial velocity ratio became less sensitive to changes in heart rate when it was divided by the RR interval, or diastolic filling period, or square root of diastolic filling period. Because the diastolic filling period is affected by atrioventricular delay independent of changes in the RR interval, these ratios were also corrected for the functional cycle length, defined as the interval from R-wave of the electrocardiogram to the end of the diastolic filling period. When corrected for either the functional cycle length or diastolic filling period or square root of diastolic filling period, only the peak early-to-peak atrial velocity ratio became less sensitive to variations in the atrioventricular delay. The ratio of diastolic filling period expressed as a proportion of RR interval or functional cycle length changed significantly when heart rate and atrioventricular delay were altered and did not improve when diastolic filling period was divided by the square root of RR or square root of functional cycle length. However, when the square root of diastolic filling period was divided by the RR interval or functional cycle length, the effects of heart rate and atrioventricular delay were not apparent. Of all the ratios, the ratio of square root of diastolic filling period expressed as a proportion of RR interval or functional cycle length was the most useful to differentiate the confounding effects of heart rate (+/-atrioventricular delay) from the effects of isoproterenol and methoxamine on left ventricular filling. Hence, this ratio appeared to be a heart rate- and atrioventricular delay-independent index of left ventricular diastolic function.