Response of the left ventricle in coronary artery disease to postextrasystolic potentiation.

62 patients, including 12 with no evidence of heart disease and 50 with coronary artery disease (14 with no prior MI and normal LV contractile pattern, 19 with abnormal contractile pattern, and 17 with documented transmural MI and abnormal LV contractile pattern).

Postextrasystolic potentiation (evaluation during the first sinus beat after a compensatory pause resulting from ventricular arrhythmia)

The second sinus beat (control beat)

Left ventricular volumes (end-systolic volume), stroke volume, ejection fraction, and contractile patternssurrogate