[The contractile capacity of the myocardium in patients with chronic obstructive bronchitis]

As many as 123 patients with chronic obstructive bronchitis (COB) were examined. Myocardial contractility was estimated by echocardiography. The data obtained indicate that in COB patients, the contractility of the right and left heart is disordered. The level of systolic pressure in the pulmonary artery did not exceed 45 mm Hg in COB patients and cannot be the cause of the overload of the right heart. The decrease of left ventricular contractility is not associated with the concomitant pathology of the cardiovascular system. The causes of myocardial contractility disorders in COB patients remain unclear.