[Early diastolic changes in patients with unstable angina pectoris]

The length of the time intervals of the early diastole was studied by the method of Alvares and Goodwin in 30 patients with unstable angina pectoris by means of simultaneous recordings of M-type echocardiogram, ACG,PCG and ECG before and after medicamentous treatment (beta blockers, nitrites with prolonged action, calcium antagonists). The control group was of 33 healthy men. The isovolumetric relaxation period was greatly prolonged in the patients and the active aspiration period was shortened (p less than 0.001). At the end of hospital treatment the interrelations between these two periods changed--the isovolumetric relaxation period shortened (p less than 0.001) and the active aspiration period lengthened (p less than 0.01) without change of the total period of fast relaxation. The slow relaxation period during the time of fast filling and the total fast filling period before and after treatment did not differ from those of the control group. The changes of the time intervals are probably related to the diminished compliance due to myocardial ischemia. The dynamic changes in the course of medicamentous treatment of unstable angina pectoris reflect the lowered restriction of left ventricular filling.