Left ventricular-arterial coupling and mortality in the cardiac intensive care unit.

Background: Left ventricular (LV) ventricular-arterial coupling (VAC) refers to the ratio of afterload (effective arterial elastance) to contractility (end-systolic elastance) as an integrated marker of cardiac performance. We sought to determine whether the echocardiographic VAC ratio, defined using the ratio of LV end-systolic volume (LVESV) to stroke volume (SV), predicted mortality in the cardiac intensive care unit (CICU).

Methods: Mayo Clinic CICU patients from 2007 and 2018 were included.

Hemodynamics of Exercise-Induced Hypertension and Relationship to Outcomes in Adults With Coarctation of the Aorta.

Background: Exercise-induced hypertension (EIH) is common in adults with coarctation of the aorta (COA), but there are limited data about hemodynamics and outcomes in such patients. The purpose of this study was to assess changes in arterial load during exercise in patients with COA with versus without EIH, and the relationship to clinical outcomes.

Methods: We compared Doppler-derived arterial load indices (effective arterial elastance index, total arterial compliance index, systemic vascular resistance index), and clinical indices of disease severity (pulmonary congestion, aerobic capacity, and cardiovascular biomarkers) between adults with repaired COA and healthy controls.