Non-invasive assessment of elevated ventricular diastolic pressures in patients with ischaemic heart disease.

For non-invasive assessment of the diastolic pressures of both ventricles, 50 patients with ischaemic heart disease were studied by combined mechano- and echocardiography. Twenty one patients had pulmonary congestion, eleven had acute mitral regurgitation and 18 had signs of left and right heart failure. All patients had undergone cardiac catheterization. The diastolic parts of apexcardiograms (left and right ACG) and the morphological alterations of mitral and tricuspid valve echograms were analysed. Using the invasive and non-invasive data of three groups a non-invasive diastolic pressure scale for both ventricles could be construed.