Left ventricular diastolic performance at rest is essential for exercise capacity in patients with non-complicated myocardial infarction.

Introduction: In patients with recent myocardial infarction (MI) limited exercise capacity during physical activity is an important symptom and the base for future treatment. The myocardial injury after MI leads to both systolic and diastolic left ventricular (LV) dysfunction.

Objective: The aim of this study was to assess the relevance of systolic and diastolic LV function for cardiopulmonary exercise capacity in patients with prior MI.

Velocity propagation of early diastole is a valuable tool for left ventricular remodelling after the first myocardial infarction.

Purpose: Velocity propagation (Vp) of early diastole is a known method for the evaluation of left ventricular (LV) diastolic function. Our purpose was to determine whether Vp is a valuable tool to characterize patients after acute myocardial infarction and LV remodelling (LVR).

Methods: M-mode, two-dimensional and Doppler echocardiography were performed in 71 patients within the first 2 days, 1, 3 and 6 months after acute myocardial infarction.