Massive Mobile Left Ventricular Thrombus in a Patient With Normal Left Ventricular Systolic Function.

• Left ventricular thrombi (LVT) formation is associated with impaired LVEF. • LVT are extremely rare among patients with normal ejection fraction. • LVT may be clinically silent but may also present with embolization.

The Effect of Lower Body Positive Pressure on Left Ventricular Ejection Duration in Patients With Heart Failure.

Lower body positive pressure (LBPP) treadmill activity might benefit patients with heart failure (HF). To determine the short-term effects of LBPP on left ventricular (LV) function in HF patients, LV ejection duration (ED), a measure of systolic function was prospectively assessed in 30 men with stable HF with LV ejection fraction ≤ 40% and 50 healthy men (N). Baseline measurements (100% body weight), including blood pressure (BP), heart rate (HR) and LVED, obtained via radial artery applanation tonometry, were recorded after 2 minutes of standing on weight support treadmill and after LBPP achieving reductions of 25%, 50%, and 75% of body weight in random sequence.

Relation of the Ankle Brachial Index to Left Ventricular Ejection Fraction in Patients Without Coronary Artery Disease.

Background: The low ankle brachial index (ABI) values are indicative of peripheral arterial disease, but have recently been found to be associated with reduced left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF). This may relate to coexisting coronary artery disease (CAD).

Aim: This study prospectively assessed a potential ABI-LVEF association in patients without CAD.

Assessment of arterial stiffness from pedal artery Korotkoff sound recordings: feasibility and potential utility.

Brachial artery (BA) Korotkoff sound (KS) timing reflects arterial stiffness. We recorded pedal artery (PA) KS in 68 healthy subjects using an electronic stethoscope and electrocardiography. Intervals between QRS complex of the electrocardiogram and KS waveform peaks (termed the QKD interval) were measured for 60 seconds, averaged, and QKD velocity (v) calculated.