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Effects of isometric exercise and heart rate on left ventricular filling pattern assessed by pulsed Doppler echocardiography
Author(s) -
AIRAKSINEN K. E. J.,
IKÄHEIMO M. J.,
HUIKURI H. V.,
KOISTINEN M. J.,
LINNALUOTO M.,
TAKKUNEN J. T.
Publication year - 1989
Publication title -
journal of internal medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.625
H-Index - 160
eISSN - 1365-2796
pISSN - 0954-6820
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2796.1989.tb01388.x
Subject(s) - medicine , cardiology , isometric exercise , heart rate , doppler echocardiography , diastole , blood pressure
Airaksinen KEJ, Ikäheimo MJ, Huikuri HV, Koistinen MJ, Linnaluoto M, Takkunen JT (Cardiovascular Division, Department of Medicine, Oulu University Central Hospital, Oulu, Finland). Effects of isometric exercise and heart rate on left ventricular filling pattern assessed by pulsed Doppler echocardiography. Left ventricular filling pattern was assessed by pulsed Doppler echocardiography at rest and during handgrip exercise in 33 healthy middle‐aged subjects. The peak mitral flow‐velocities during the early rapid filling phase (E) and during late (atrial) filling (A) were measured and the ratio of these peak flow‐velocities (E:A ratio) was calculated. The E:A ratio was inversely related to age ( r = −0.50), heart rate ( r = −0.47) and septal thickness ( r = −0.36) at rest. Exercise caused a significant ( P < 0.001) decrease in E:A ratio as a result of an increase in the peak A velocity. No significant change in the peak E velocity was observed during exercise. The exercise E:A ratio was related to heart rate ( r = −0.53), but not to resting E:A ratio or age, since the decrease in E:A ratio tended to be less in the older subjects. Our study shows that isometric exercise augments the relative contribution of atrial contraction to left ventricular filling and this increase may ‘mask’ minor changes in resting transmitral flow pattern associated with, e.g. ageing. Secondly, in addition to age, heart rate must be taken into account when studying populations with different heart‐rate levels or interventions associated with simultaneous heart rate changes.