Evaluation of myocardial contractility by the non-invasive method

Abstract

In evaluation of cardiac function by the non-invasive method, the possibility of separation of cardiac muscle performance from cardiac pump performance was studied. Among the non-invasive values, SV/ET, SV/(AO/EO), Pd/ICT, Pd/PEP, 1/ICT2, ET/PEP, and ET/ICT were considered as parameters for myocardial contractility. This research especially focused on Pd/ICT and ET/PEP. In auricular fibrillation it was possible to draw Starling-like curves and 3 dimensional coordinates to estimate a Vmax-like value. However this method could not be used in sinus rhythm. Whereas, in hypertension with abnormal afterload and uremia with abnormal preload, myocardial contractility was expressed by Pd/ICT under the influence of almost pure preload and ET/PEP under the influence of both preload and afterload. Therefore Pd/ICT was corrected with preload (AO/EO) and (Pd/ICT)/(AO/EO) may be used as the index for myocardial contractility. © 1975, The Japanese Circulation Society. All rights reserved.