LV Systolic Function

Flashcards created from lecture notes on LV Systolic Function, covering key concepts related to heart function, measurements, and echocardiography techniques.

Frank-Starling Law

The principle that the force of contraction of the heart muscle is related to the initial length of the muscle cells.

Contractility

The forcefulness of the contraction of the heart muscle.

Preload

The volume or pressure that exists in the ventricles at end-diastole, determining the length to which muscle fibers can be stretched.

Afterload

The resistance the ventricles face as blood is ejected during each contraction.

Ejection Fraction (EF)

The percentage of blood pumped out of the left ventricle in systole with each heartbeat.

Global Longitudinal Strain (GLS)

A measure of myocardial function, quantifying changes in the longitudinal direction.

Stroke Volume (SV)

The amount of blood pumped out of the heart per beat.

Cardiac Output (CO)

The total volume of blood the heart pumps per minute.

Strain

A measure of deformation or stretch of the myocardium, expressed as a percentage change in length.

Speckle Tracking Strain

An imaging technique that tracks the motion of small bright spots in the myocardium to measure strain.

Radial Contraction of the LV

The contraction of the left ventricle in a radial direction, contributing to twisting and shortening during systole.

3D Echo

A three-dimensional imaging technique that acquires a volume of data to visualize the heart's structure.

Regional Wall Motion Abnormalities (RWMA)

Deviations from normal wall motion of the left ventricle, used to assess regional dysfunction.

Fractional Shortening

The percentage of left ventricular shortening during systole, indicating contractile function.

Load Dependence of EF

Ejection fraction is influenced by factors such as heart rate and the volume status of the ventricle.

Diastolic Dysfunction

Inability of the ventricle to fill properly during diastole, often precedes drop in EF.