Long Term Prognostic Value of Contractile Reserve Assessed by Global Longitudinal Strain in Patients with Asymptomatic Severe Aortic Stenosis.

Background: Left ventricle (LV) global longitudinal strain (GLS) at rest has shown prognostic value in patients (pts) with severe aortic stenosis (SAS). Contractile reserve (CR) during exercise stress echo (ESE) estimated via GLS (CR-GLS) could better stratify the asymptomatic patients who could benefit from early intervention.

Aims: To determine the long-term prognostic value of CR-GLS in patients with asymptomatic SAS with an ESE without inducible ischemia.

Comprehensive assessment of left ventricular myocardial function by two-dimensional speckle-tracking echocardiography.

Background: Left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) results from the combined action of longitudinal and circumferential contraction, radial thickening, and basal and apical rotation. The study of these parameters together may lead to an accurate assessment of the cardiac function.

Methods: Ninety healthy volunteers, categorized by gender and age (≤ 55 and >  55 years), were evaluated using two-dimensional speckle tracking echocardiography.

Myocardial Contraction during the Diastolic Isovolumetric Period: Analysis of Longitudinal Strain by Means of Speckle Tracking Echocardiography.

Background: According to the ventricular myocardial band model, the diastolic isovolumetric period is a contraction phenomenon. Our objective was to employ speckle-tracking echocardiography (STE) to analyze myocardial deformation of the left ventricle (LV) and to confirm if it supports the myocardial band model.

Methods: This was a prospective observational study in which 90 healthy volunteers were recruited.

Coronary flow velocity reserve during pharmacologic stress echocardiography with normal contractility adds important prognostic value in diabetic and nondiabetic patients.

Background: Coronary flow velocity reserve (CFVR) increases the diagnostic sensitivity of stress echocardiography. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prognostic value of CFVR in patients without new wall motion abnormalities during pharmacologic stress echocardiography.

Methods: The outcomes of 651 patients with normal wall motion response during stress echocardiography with dobutamine up to 50 μg/kg/min (n = 351) or dipyridamole up to 0.

Target heart rate to determine the normal value of coronary flow reserve during dobutamine stress echocardiography.

Background: The determination of coronary flow reserve (CFR) is an essential concept at the moment of decision-making in ischemic heart disease. There are several direct and indirect tests to evaluate this parameter. In this sense, dobutamine stress echocardiography is one of the pharmacological method most commonly used worldwide.