Development of Right Ventricular Dysfunction in Acute Myocardial Infarction and Chronic Heart Failure

Objective: to evaluate the structural and functional state of the right cardiac cavities in acute left ventricular myocardial infarction and in progressive chronic heart failure (CHF) in patients with coronary heart disease.

Materials and methods. 20 patients with acute myocardial infarction and 48 with postinfarct cardiosclerosis with NYHA functional classes I to IV CHF were examined. The structural and functional state of the right heart was evaluated in progressive left ventricular systolic and diastolic dysfunction by echocardiography.

Results. In the acute period of infarction, remodeling processes occur in the left ventricle, with normal postload values, volumetric indices and right ventricular contractility are in the normal range. There is right cardiac dilatation at the early stage of left ventricular systolic and diastolic dysfunction in postinfarct remodeling and evolving CHF, normal pulmonary arterial and right atrial pressures. With a significant reduction in left ventricular contractility and its pronounced filling impairment, increases in post- and preload for the right ventricle occur with a just considerable change in its structural and functional state.

Conclusion. In impaired myocardial relaxation in the presence of CHF, remodeling of the right cardiac cavities takes place without the influence of a hemodynamic factor. There is a close relationship of remodeling of both ventricles from the very early CHF stages, which suggests that there are common pathogenetic mechanisms responsible for the development of myocardial dysfunction.

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