[Left ventricular systolic function in young women with hyperkinetic syndrome--echocardiographic evaluation]

In twenty two young (mean age 31.6 years) normotensive women with hyperkinetic heart syndrome (HHS) we assessed echocardiographically left ventricular (LV) function indexes before and after 40 mg of oral propranolol. At baseline the HHS group differed from controls with respect to higher heart rate heart and diastolic blood pressure (BPs), lower systolic and systolic LV volumes, greater corrected mean circumferential fiber shortening, ejection fraction, cardiac index and contractility index (systolic blood pressure x body surface area/LV end-systolic volume ratio). Propranolol normalized nearly all analyzed indexes except for BPs which remained increased compared to controls. In young women with HHS enhanced cardiac performance is expressed by higher cardiac index and speed of blood ejection from the left ventricle, is related to tachycardia and higher contractility but not to increased preload. Results post propranolol administration speak in favour of significant role of increased beta-adrenoceptor stimulation in HHS.