Part 2: The Clinical Applications of Left Ventricular Myocardial Strain

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Cardiovascular Imaging
• Echocardiography

Background:

• Cardiovascular disease and heart failure prevalence is rising.
• Left ventricular ejection fraction may not accurately reflect systolic function in all cardiac diseases.
• Reduced ejection fraction often indicates advanced, irreversible disease stages.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review emerging clinical applications of left ventricular global longitudinal strain (LV-GLS).
• To highlight LV-GLS utility in valvular heart disease, cardiomyopathies, and COVID-19.
• To emphasize LV-GLS for early identification of subtle left ventricular systolic dysfunction.

Main Methods:

• Review of current literature on left ventricular global longitudinal strain.
• Analysis of clinical applications in various cardiac pathologies.
• Focus on echocardiographic strain measurement techniques.

Main Results:

• Myocardial strain is a robust tool for early heart disease detection.
• LV-GLS identifies subtle systolic dysfunction missed by ejection fraction.
• Strain imaging shows promise in valvular diseases, cardiomyopathies, and COVID-19.

Conclusions:

• Left ventricular global longitudinal strain is a valuable metric for assessing myocardial function.
• Strain imaging offers earlier and more sensitive detection of cardiac dysfunction.
• This technique is crucial for managing patients with valvular, cardiomyopathic, and viral heart conditions.