[Use of Doppler echocardiography for studying hemodynamics in paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia]

Eighteen patients in whom sustained supraventricular tachycardia paroxysms were induced by programmed transesophageal pacing were examined. Doppler echocardiography was used to study left ventricular systolic and diastolic function, as well as cardiac output and pulmonary systolic pressure during sinus rhythm and paroxysms. A profound decrease in the cardiac index during paroxysms was found in 2 patients, one of them had higher pulmonary pressure. The cardiac index increased on an average from 4.4 +/- 0.9 l/min.m-2 during sinus rhythm to 4.8 +/- 1.4 l/min.m-2 during paroxysms. The diastolic function of the left ventricle was ascertained to be one of he factors that determine cardiac index in supraventricular tachycardia paroxysms.