The significance of increased left ventricular outflow tract velocities in the elderly measured by continuous wave Doppler.
Forty-four elderly patients (mean age 80 +/- 7 years) with elevated left ventricular outflow tract velocities and corresponding outflow tract gradients documented by continuous wave Doppler are reported (mean peak gradient 50 +/- 28). They had severe left ventricular hypertrophy, small left ventricular end-diastolic dimensions, and supernormal ejection fractions. Thirty-nine percent had a history of hypertension. They were predominantly female, had uniform concentric left ventricular hypertrophy, and had a high incidence of congestive heart failure. Diastolic function was found to be reduced in the elderly group compared to young patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and to age- and sex-matched normal controls. It is concluded that most elderly patients with increased left ventricular outflow tract velocities are etiologically distinct from young patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.
Agatston
A S
AS
Mount Sinai Medical Center, Miami Beach, FL.
Polakoff
R
R
Hippogoankar
R
R
Schnur
S
S
Samet
P
P
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity; D002312:Cardiomyopathy, Hypertrophic / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology; D004452:Echocardiography; D015150:Echocardiography, Doppler; D005260:Female; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology; D006339:Heart Rate; D006352:Heart Ventricles / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014694:Ventricular Outflow Obstruction / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology*