Left ventricular function during respiratory failure
Related Experiment Video
Updated: Oct 9, 2026

Assessment of Right Ventricular Structure and Function in Mouse Model of Pulmonary Artery Constriction by Transthoracic Echocardiography
Published on: February 3, 2014
Abstract:
Indirect measures of left ventricular function were studied in seven patients with respiratory failure secondary to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease to determine if there were a relationship between left ventricular function and treatment of the pulmonary disease. All patients were studied during acute episodes while in respiratory failure having arterial Pco2 (Paco2) values greater than 49 torr with no clinical evidence of left ventricular failure. Indirect methods to evaluate left ventricular function included the use of the Swan-Ganz catheter for pulmonary capillary wedge pressure measurement, systolic time intervals, and cardiac output. There was improvement in left ventricular function with treatment of the respiratory failure manifested by decreases in the wedge pressure and pre-ejection period/left ventricular ejection time ratio, and an increase in the dp/dt/pulmonary capillary wedge pressure with treatment of the chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The improvement in left ventricular function suggests that there is a depression of left ventricular function in respiratory failure. The depressed function improved with therapy of the lung disease without additional medication directed at cardiac function.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
Imbalances in Cardiac Output
CHF can occur due to the failure of either side of the heart. Left-side failure leads to pulmonary congestion—the right side continues to send blood...
Acute Respiratory Failure-I
Definition: It is defined by specific criteria based on blood gas measurements. Hypoxemia happens when the partial pressure of oxygen (PaO2) falls below 60 mmHg. At the same time,...
Acute Respiratory Failure-II
The underlying physiological abnormalities that contribute to hypoxemic respiratory failure include:
Mitral Stenosis I: Introduction
Heart Failure II: Pathophysiology
Heart Failure III: Clinical Manifestations

