Abstract

The effects of increasing afterload on early diastolic dysfunction in 10 patients with hypertrophic non-obstructive cardiomyopathy were studied by computer assisted analyses of digitised M mode echocardiograms. Infusion of angiotensin II increased the end systolic pressure by a mean (SD) of 36.2 (10.3) mm Hg. As the afterload increased early diastolic dysfunction tended to become more normal: the interval and the change in dimension between minimal cavity dimension and mitral valve opening decreased and the duration of rapid diastolic filling and the accompanying change in dimension increased. None the less, the end diastolic dimension and thus the overall diastolic filling remained unchanged. Impaired early diastolic function in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is at least partly caused by altered loading conditions.