Left ventricular flow from apex to base during systole and isovolumic relaxation in a patient with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and midventricular obstruction

• Published in: European heart journal Vol. 12; no. 10; p. 1132
• Main Authors: Sütsch, G, Jenni, R, Krayenbühl, H P
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England 01.10.1991
• Subjects: Adult; Blood Flow Velocity; Cardiac Catheterization; Cardiomyopathy, Hypertrophic - complications; Cardiomyopathy, Hypertrophic - diagnostic imaging; Cardiomyopathy, Hypertrophic - physiopathology; Cineangiography; Echocardiography, Doppler; Heart Ventricles - diagnostic imaging; Heart Ventricles - physiopathology; Humans; Male; Myocardial Contraction - physiology; Pressure; Regional Blood Flow; Systole - physiology; Ventricular Function, Left - physiology; Ventricular Outflow Obstruction - complications; Ventricular Outflow Obstruction - diagnostic imaging; Ventricular Outflow Obstruction - physiopathology
• ISSN: 0195-668X
• DOI: 10.1093/oxfordjournals.eurheartj.a059847

The occurrence of a left ventricular anterograde flow velocity (maximal: 3.9 m.s-1) is demonstrated in a 32-year-old patient with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and midventricular obstruction, beginning at early systole and persisting throughout the isovolumic relaxation. Cardiac catheterization with simultaneous dual high fidelity pressure measurements in the apical and basal chambers confirmed the presence of the Doppler maximal instantaneous pressure gradient of 60 mmHg. Contrast left ventricular angiography excluded apical dyskinesia. In the two intracavity compartments, isovolumic relaxation time and the time constant of pressure decay (tau) were abnormal whereby tau was more delayed in the apical than in the basal portion. The presence of an apical high pressure zone during systole with impeded and delayed emptying through the midventricular obstacle and the late onset and prolongation of relaxation are thought to be the cause of the intraventricular flow from apex to base lasting from early systole throughout isovolumic relaxation.