[Apical left ventricular involvement in chronic Chagas' cardiopathy: clinical and ventriculographic aspects].

The present study comprises 62 patients with Chronic Chagas' Heart Disease. In addition to clinical examination, serologic, roentgenologic, hemodynamic, electrocardiographic, left cineventriculographic and cinecoronariographic studies were performed, with subsequent evaluation apical left ventricule. Thirty two patients were women and 30 were men, varying between 21 and 64 years of age, all with positive serological tests, all with cardiovascular symptoms, 26 with myocardial failure (11 with left ventricular failure and 15 with congestive heart failure), heart size was normal on X-ray in 37 patients with cardiomegaly in 25 (slight in 10; moderate in 8 and accentuate in 7). The electrocardiogram revealed in 41 instance of conduction defects. The left ventriculogram showed an apical lesion in 52 patients (83.87%) with: localized hypokicinetic in 4 (6.45%), diffuse hypokicinetic in 6 (9.68%) and, apical lesion in 48 (77.42%). The shaped apical lesion as a nipple in 17 (27.42%), as finger in 17 (27.42%), and half-moon in 14 (22.18%). The apical lesion was observed in 20 of 26 patients with myocardial failure (76.92%). In 9 patients was associated with others aneurysms. In 3 patients apical thrombus was detected.