Age-dependent influence of heart rate on Doppler indexes of left ventricular filling
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S Voutilainen1, M Kupari, M Hippeläinen
1Department of Medicine, Päijät-Häme Central Hospital, Lahti, Finland.
Insights
Heart rate significantly impacts left ventricular filling Doppler indexes, with effects varying by age. This age-dependent influence is crucial for accurate interpretation, especially in younger individuals.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Physiology
- Medical Imaging
Background:
- Doppler indexes of left ventricular filling are known to be influenced by both age and heart rate.
- The interaction between age and heart rate on these Doppler indexes requires further investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine if the effect of heart rate on Doppler indexes of left ventricular filling is modified by age.
- To assess age-related differences in the response of transmitral velocities to heart rate changes.
Main Methods:
- Compared the effects of atropine-induced heart rate increases on transmitral velocities.
- Studied 10 younger healthy subjects (26-38 years) and 12 older healthy subjects (50-67 years).
Main Results:
- Peak early diastolic velocity decreased similarly in both younger and older groups with increased heart rate.
- Peak atrial velocity increased in younger subjects but remained unchanged in older subjects.
- The early-to-atrial peak velocity ratio decreased significantly in both groups, more so in younger subjects.
Conclusions:
- The influence of heart rate on specific Doppler indexes of left ventricular filling is age-dependent.
- The peak velocity ratio requires heart rate adjustment for accurate interpretation in younger individuals.
- Heart rate variations are less critical for interpreting Doppler indexes in older individuals.
Background And Objective:
The Doppler indexes of left ventricular filling are related to age and heart rate. The aim of this study was to assess whether the influences of heart rate and age interactions (that is, whether the effect of heart rate on the Doppler indexes) is modified by age.
Subjects And Methods:
The effects of atropine-induced heart rate increases on the transmitral velocities were compared in 10 younger healthy subjects aged 26-38 years and 12 older healthy subjects aged 50-67 years.
Results:
With a comparable total rise in heart rate (on average 20 beats min-1), the peak early diastolic velocity decreased likewise in both groups (from 66 +/- 9 to 57 +/- 9 cm s-1 in the younger age group and from 58 +/- 15 to 47 +/- 13 cm s-1 in the older age group). The peak atrial velocity remained unaltered in the older group (53 +/- 16 vs. 52 +/- 14 cm s-1) but rose from 33 +/- 6 to 44 +/- 12 cm s-1 in the younger (P = 0.02). The early-to-atrial peak velocity ratio decreased from 1.2 +/- 0.6 to 1.0 +/- 0.4 cm s-1 in the older subjects and from 2.0 +/- 0.5 to 1.4 +/- 0.5 cm s-1 in the younger subjects (P = 0.01). Changes in the other Doppler indexes were similar in both groups.
Conclusions:
The effect of heart rate on certain Doppler indexes of left ventricular filling is age-dependent. The peak velocity ratio cannot be interpreted without adjusting for heart rate in younger subjects, whilst in older people heart rate variation is of less importance.