Assessment of myocardial contractility from ventricular pressure recordings

Authors' synopsis Peak ilalues of the normalized .first and second dericatices of left iIentricular pressure, which are tneasured during the isorolumic contraction period, hace been shown to be useful measures for assessing myocardial rontractilitj,. These indices were readily obtained from high speed pressure tracings by means of a jiberoptic pressure catheter which has an unusually high frequency response and low noise lewl.