Systolic and diastolic left ventricular dysfunction: from risk factors to overt heart failure

Abstract

Because life expectancy and the prevalence of risk factors such as hypertension, obesity and diabetes are rising globally, heart failure (HF) is growing into a major health problem. Impairment of left ventricular (LV) diastolic function as well as systolic function appear very early in the course of heart disease. Recent HF guidelines, therefore, place special emphasis on the detection of subclinical LV dysfunction and the timely identification of risk factors for HF. Conventional echocardiography combined with new imaging techniques such as tissue Doppler and tissue tracking are sensitive tools to detect early subclinical deterioration of LV function. Community-based studies revealed a higher prevalence of LV systolic and diastolic dysfunction using the new echocardiographic imaging techniques. Future prospective studies will clarify the hitherto unknown prognosis associated with early symptom-free LV dysfunction.

Keywords::

• diastole
• echocardiography
• heart failure
• left ventricle
• strain
• systole
• tissue Doppler imaging

Financial & competing interests disclosure

The authors have received funding from the following institutions: the European Union (grants LSHM-CT-2006-037093 InGenious HyperCare and HEALTH-2007-2.1.1-2 HyperGenes), the Fonds voor Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek Vlaanderen, Brussels, Belgium (grants G.0256.05 and G.0575.06), and the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Leuven, Belgium (grants OT/04/34 and OT/05/49). The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.