Diastolic time intervals in ischemic and hypertensive heart disease: A comparison of isovolumic relaxation time and rapid filling time with systolic time intervals

Abstract

Isovolumic relaxation time (IVRT) and rapid filling time (RFT) were used to evaluate elasticity and compliance in 11 control subjects (Group 1), in nine patients with angina (Group 2), in 11 with hypertensive heasrt disease (Group 3), and in ten patients with healed myocardial infarction (Group 4). Pre-ejection period (PEP), pre-ejection period index (PEPI), left ventricular ejection time (LVET), left ventricular ejection time index(LVETI) and PEP/LVET ratio were all derived from simultaneous recordings of phonocardiograms, ECGs, apexcardiograms, and external carotid arterial pulses. No patients were in congestive heart failure and none were receiving medication. LVET and LVETI were the same in control patient groups; PEP was slightly increased in patients with healed myocardial infarctions (p smaller than 0.05); and PEPI was prolonged in the patients with angina (p = 0.001). THE PEP/LVET ratio too was different from the control group in patients with angina and hypertension (Groups 2 and 3-p smaller than 0.02 and smaller than 0.05 respectively). The diastolic time intervals were significantly altered in that the IVRT was prolonged in angina patients (113.4 equals or minus 28.3 msec), compared to control patients (85.7) equal or minus 18.4 msec). It was found that in 6 out of 9 patients with angina, this interval exceeded the highest normal value (108 msec), but that in only one out 11 patients with HCVD and in three out of ten with healed infarctions, was the interval prolonged. RFT was increased in HCVD (113.8 equals or minus 18.8 msec) and in healed myocardial infarction (123.8 equals or minus 30.0 msec) patients, compared to the control group (94.5 equals or minus 12.8 msec). Diastolic time intervals reflecting disorders in elasticity and compliance may occur in conjunction with alterations in systolic time intervals.