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Ventricular-arterial coupling: changes with ageing and implications across cardiovascular conditions
Mateusz Gaczoł1, Marek Rajzer1, Wiktoria Wojciechowska1
11st Department of Cardiology, Interventional Electrocardiology and Arterial Hypertension, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Kraków, Poland.
Insights
Ventricular-arterial coupling (VAC) declines with age due to arterial stiffening and reduced heart function. Novel metrics like the pulse wave velocity/global longitudinal strain (PWV/GLS) ratio may improve assessment of cardiovascular health.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Physiology
- Biomedical Engineering
Background:
- Ventricular-arterial coupling (VAC) describes the interaction between the left ventricle and arterial system.
- Ageing and cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) significantly impact VAC.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review changes in VAC with ageing and common CVDs.
- To explore traditional and emerging VAC assessment methods.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of studies on VAC in ageing and CVDs (hypertension, AF, HFpEF, HFrEF, AS).
- Analysis of traditional measures (arterial elastance [Ea], ventricular elastance [Ees]) and novel parameters (global longitudinal strain [GLS], pulse wave velocity [PWV]).
Main Results:
- Ageing increases Ea and Ees, maintaining a stable Ea/Ees ratio.
- The novel PWV/GLS ratio shows greater impairment in older adults, offering a comprehensive VAC evaluation.
Conclusions:
- Ageing impairs VAC via arterial stiffening and reduced cardiac function, often worsened by CVDs.
- The PWV/GLS ratio may enhance VAC assessment for managing age-related cardiovascular conditions.
Purpose:
Ventricular-arterial coupling (VAC) is a crucial concept in cardiovascular physiology, representing the dynamic interaction between the left ventricle and the arterial system. This comprehensive literature review explores the changes in VAC with ageing and various cardiovascular diseases (CVDs).
Materials And Methods:
This literature review covers studies on changes in VAC with age and common CVDs, such as arterial hypertension, atrial fibrillation (AF) and heart failure with preserved and reduced ejection fraction and aortic stenosis (AS). The review discusses traditional measures of VAC, including arterial elastance (Ea) and ventricular elastance (Ees), as well as emerging parameters, such as global longitudinal strain (GLS) and pulse wave velocity (PWV). The review introduces the PWV/GLS ratio as a novel method for assessing VAC.
Results:
With ageing, both Ea and Ees increase, while the Ea/Ees ratio remains relatively stable, reflecting balanced arterial and ventricular adaptations. Novel measures, such as PWV/GLS ratio, show greater impairment in older adults and provide a comprehensive evaluation of VAC.
Conclusions:
Ageing disrupts VAC through arterial stiffening and reduced heart function, often exacerbated by CVDs. Novel metrics like PWV/GLS may improve VAC assessment, helping clinicians manage age-related cardiovascular issues by identifying risks earlier and guiding treatment to support efficient heart-artery interaction.
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