[Physical work capacity and left ventricular function assessed using an impedance cardiographic method in patients...

The interrelations between physical working capacity and left ventricular function were studied in 51 patients with mitral valvular disease (17 men and 34 women) by impedance cardiography. A number of physical working capacity indices and the impedanve cardiographic indices of the ejection and contractile functions of the left ventricle were determined. As an approximate assessment of the left ventricular function the degree of the changes of the impedance cardiographic indices from the state of rest to physical loading was used. A better correlation was established between the physical working capacity and the increase if the impedance cardiographic indices of the ejection and contractile left ventricular functions from the state of rest to physical loading than with the same indices determined in the state of rest only. The impedance cardiographic indices of the left ventricular function by physical loading increase to a lesser degree in patients with diminished left ventricular function at rest (combined mitral valvular disease) while in the patients with normal left ventricular function at rest ("pure" mitral stenosis) the changes are like those in healthy persons.