Minerva cardioangiologica
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Minerva cardioangiologica · Aug 2011
ReviewEchocardiography: future developments. What is diastole and how to assess it? Impaired left ventricular systolic function.
Epidemiologic data show that diastolic heart failure is responsible for 38% to 54% of all heart failure cases. Left ventricular diastolic function can be characterized invasively in the catheter laboratory and non-invasively by echocardiography. Although echocardiography does not directly measure hemodynamic parameters, it is the most practical routine clinical approach for the evaluation of left ventricular diastolic function with given clinical and experimental evidence supporting its use as well as its safety, versatility, and portability. ⋯ Furthermore, calculated parameters, e.g. like E/E´, E/Vp, AR-A, for a more accurate determination of diastolic dysfunction have been evaluated. With respect to recent guidelines and recommendations, this review summarizes the physiology and pathophysiology of diastole, current echocardiographic methods and calculated echocardiographic parameters for the assessment of left ventricular diastolic function and dysfunction. In addition, an overview of the current state of research with regard to the echocardiographic assessment of left ventricular diastolic function will be given.