Abnormal Mitral Valve Motion in Patients with Elevated Left Ventricular Diastolic Pressures

Abstract

In order to see whether or not the echocardiographically recorded mitral valve could reflect alterations in left ventricular pressure, simultaneous mitral valve echograms and left ventricular pressures were obtained on patients undergoing diagnostic cardiac catheterization. Attention was given to the left ventricular initial diastolic pressure (LVIDP), left ventricular end-diastolic pressure (LVEDP), and the atrial component of the left ventricular pressure (LVa). The echocardiographic measurements included the opening velocity of the mitral valve in early diastole (D-E slope) and the interval between the A point, which is the onset of closure of the mitral valve following atrial systole, and the C point, which represents closure of the mitral valve as indicated by the meeting of the anterior and posterior mitral leaflets. In order to compensate for variations in atrioventricular conduction, the A-C interval was subtracted from the electrocardiographic P-R interval. In 19 patients, the LVIDP was less than...