Echocardiographic assessment combining indices of left ventricular relaxation, restoring forces, diastolic compliance, and filling pressure accurately grades diastolic function and estimates filling pressure.
Echocardiographic Doppler assessment remains a highly feasible and accurate method for evaluating left ventricular diastolic function and filling pressures.
Left ventricular (LV) diastolic function can be evaluated by echocardiographic indices of LV relaxation/restoring forces, diastolic compliance, and filling pressure. By using a combination of indices, diastolic function can be graded and LV filling pressure estimated with high feasibility and good accuracy. Evaluation of diastolic function is of particular importance in patients with unexplained exertional dyspnea or other symptoms or signs of heart failure which cannot be attributed to impaired LV systolic function and to assess filling pressure in patients with heart failure and reduced LV ejection fraction. Furthermore, grading of diastolic dysfunction can be used for risk assessment in asymptomatic subjects and in patients with heart disease.
Otto A. Smiseth (Wed,) conducted a review in Left ventricular diastolic dysfunction and heart failure with preserved ejection fraction. Echocardiography (Doppler assessment) was evaluated. Echocardiographic assessment combining indices of left ventricular relaxation, restoring forces, diastolic compliance, and filling pressure accurately grades diastolic function and estimates filling pressure.