Latent myocardial contractile impairment in patients with angina pectoris

Intravenous injection of Angiotensin II gives rise to a rapid and transient increase of the afterload of the left ventricle (increased peripheral resistances). In this haemodynamic setting the functional behaviour of the left ventricle, through indirect parameters such as systolic time intervals, was compared in 14 patients with angina and in 15 normal control subjects. As regards blood pressure and heart rate a similar behaviour was registered in the two groups in basal conditions; directly after the intravenous injection of Angiotensin II changes suggesting impairment of left ventricular function failure have been obsered in patients with angina pectoris.