[Dynamic functional changes in the respiratory system in acquired heart defects]

One hundred forty eight patients were examined, 56 of them followed up dynamically. The following indices were determined--external respiration, diffuse capacity of lungs and its components, acid-base state and blood gases, functional and true intrapulmonary shunts, etc. The results revealed that the dynamic functional disorders in respiratory system in the acquired valvular diseases are reversible, to a great extent, after the application of a complex therapy. Most significant is the dynamics of the recovery in stage IIA of cardiac insufficiency and the changes in DLCO, SS and DM, VC, MRV, RQ, DS%RC. The disturbed respiratory function in stage I of cardiac insufficiency is almost completely restored, whereas in stage IIB--the recovery processes are less manifested, conditioned by the reduced compensatory mechanism and the advancing of irreversible pathomorphological changes. The changes in DLCO, SS are the most sensitive ones, being the earliest to manifest, even before the manifestation of the clinical symptoms and could aid the early functional diagnostics of the acquired valvular defects. The dynamic follow up of the functional changes in the respiratory system enables us to assess more thoroughly the results from the treatment, evolution and prognosis of the acquired valvular diseases.