[Cardiac contractility in males with post-infarction cardiac sclerosis as evidenced by ultrasonic scanning].

The relationship was examined between the severity of heart failure, the degree of asynergy and exercise tolerance in 40 males under 60 years with postinfarction cardiosclerosis. Fifteen healthy males were matched for as a control. Echocardiography was performed before and after bicycle ergometer exercise test, allowing the patients to be divided into 4 groups: Groups 1 and 2 without an ischemic response in the absence or presence of akinesia or dyskinesia, respectively; Groups 3 and 4 with an ischemic response in the absence or presence of akinesia or dyskinesia, respectively. The lowest exercise tolerance was observed in Group 4. Echographic findings showed that the overall left ventricular contractility was diminished in all the patients; there was no noticeable quantitative difference in the values between the groups. No differences were found in segmental ejection fractions. The combination of ischemic response to exercise tolerance and akinesia-dyskinesia asynergy indicates a more severe disease of the coronary bed and myocardium.