[Echocardiographic (EchoC) assessment of left ventricular function in aortic insufficiency]

In 31 patients with non-invasive and invasive confirmation of "pure" aortic insufficiency, signs for volume loading of left ventricle were establishing by M-type echocardiography (EchoCG)--namely--extended telediastolic deminsion, telediastolic volume and stroke volume of left ventricle, tendency to hypercontractility of interventricular septum and light hypertrophy of left ventricular myocardium. In case of aortic insufficiency with left ventricular insufficiency, decreased values of contractile EchoCG-indices of left ventricle were established--fraction of shortening (FS), fraction of expulsion (EF), mean velocity of contraction of the circumferential fibres (mVcf) and extended dimension of left ventricle. The echocardiography enables the approximate evaluation of the stage of the aortic insufficiency, properly differentiating more cases of light and moderate than severe aortic regurgitation. Most significant, in that respect, are the diastolic volulume, stroke volume and contractility indices of left ventricle as well as the extend of the regurgitation volume of left auricle as well.