Left atrial and ventricular filling in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease : An echocardiographic and Doppler study

Abnormal left ventricular (LV) diastolic function has frequently been reported in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). In the present work, diastolic function was studied by a combined analysis of pulmonary venous and mitral blood flow velocities in 34 patients with COPD clini...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:American journal of respiratory and critical care medicine 2000-08, Vol.162 (2), p.670-675
Main Authors: BOUSSUGES, A, PINET, C, MOLENAT, F, BURNET, H, AMBROSI, P, BADIER, M, SAINTY, J.-M, OREHEK, J
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Atrial Function, Left - physiology
Biological and medical sciences
Blood Pressure
Cardiovascular system
Diastole - physiology
Echocardiography, Doppler
Female
Humans
Investigative techniques, diagnostic techniques (general aspects)
Lung Diseases, Obstructive - diagnostic imaging
Lung Diseases, Obstructive - physiopathology
Male
Medical sciences
Middle Aged
Observer Variation
Pulmonary Artery - physiology
Pulmonary Veins - physiology
Systole - physiology
Ultrasonic investigative techniques
Ventricular Function, Left - physiology
Citations: Items that this one cites
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Abnormal left ventricular (LV) diastolic function has frequently been reported in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). In the present work, diastolic function was studied by a combined analysis of pulmonary venous and mitral blood flow velocities in 34 patients with COPD clinically stable and without history of heart disease, and 20 control subjects. We confirmed the increased contribution of the atrial contraction to the LV filling in COPD patients in comparison with control subjects; furthermore, a decreased left atrial (LA) filling during the ventricular systole was observed. Changes in LV filling were not the consequence of a systolic dysfunction, because LV systolic function was normal. Doppler indices indicated that LA pressure was below 15 cm H(2)O in all the patients with COPD and control subjects. Several factors can be put forward to explain these changes; the first one is tachycardia. In addition to hypoxemia and medications, echocardiography suggested that a decreased LV preload participated in increased heart rate. Analysis of Doppler transmitral and pulmonary venous flows demonstrated the role of the ventricular interdependence because a correlation existed between LA and LV filling pattern and right ventricle pressure and diameter.
ISSN:1073-449X
1535-4970
DOI:10.1164/ajrccm.162.2.9908056