Effect of Aging on Intraventricular Kinetic Energy and Energy Dissipation

Abstract

In recent years, analysis of kinetic energy (KE) and the rate of kinetic energy dissipation (KED) or energy loss (EL) within the cardiac chambers, obtained by cardiac imaging techniques, has gained increasing attention. Thus, there is a need to clarify the effect of physiological variables, specifically aging, on these energetic measures. To elucidate this aspect, we reviewed the literature on this topic. Overall, cardiac magnetic resonance and echocardiographic studies published so far indicate that aging affects the energetics of left and right intraventricular blood flow, although not all energy measures during the cardiac cycle seem to be affected by age in the same way. Current studies, however, have limitations. Additional large, multicenter investigations are needed to test the effect of physiological variables on intraventricular KE and KED/EL measures.

Keywords: 4D flow cardiac magnetic resonance; HyperDoppler; aging; blood speckle imaging; cardiac ultrasound; echocardiography; energy loss; kinetic energy; kinetic energy dissipation; vector flow mapping.

Figure 1

Apical long-axis view of a young normal subject showing the kinetic energy within the left ventricle using the HyperDoppler technique. Blood with the highest kinetic energy is displayed in red color. Left: Early diastole (rapid filling). Right: peak of systolic ejection.

Figure 2

An illustration of the role in the early diagnosis of cardiac aging using noninvasive imaging techniques (i.e., intracardiac flow dynamics assessment) in the perspective of treatments finalized to delay aging.