Bedside technics for the evaluation of ventricular function in man.

Abstract Characteristic changes in the systolic intervals of the left ventricle have been demonstrated among patients with arteriosclerotic, hypertensive and primary myocardial disease. These consist of a prolongation of the pre-ejection period and an abbreviation in the ejection time, while total electromechanical systole remains unaltered. The changes in the pre-ejection period and the left ventricular ejection time correlate well with the level of cardiac output and stroke volume. The ratio of the pre-ejection period to the left ventricular ejection time (PEP/LVET) lends a convenient expression of these changes in the systolic intervals. The ease with which these measures can be obtained, using a noninvasive technic, suggests their use in the bedside evaluation of cardiac performance in man.