[Myocardiopathies secondary to cardiovascular diseases: systolic strain and diastolic overload (author's transl)].

All cardiovascular malformations compromise ventricular function and lead to alterations in the myocardial structure. Most of these are adaptive reactions. However, in some cases, this reaction overreaches its object and leads to an authentic myocardiopathy. This myocardiopathy is usually hypertrophic in obstacles which result in systolic overload of the left ventricle (coarctation peri-orificial stenosis of the aorta, systemic hypertension) or of the right ventricle (pulmonic stenosis), or congestive in diastolic overload by left-to-right shunts or valvular insufficiency. These myocardiopathies may prevent recognition of the signs of the underlying heart disease thereby leading to diagnostic errors and delay in therapy. They may constitute the main factor of an operative decision.