Mitral valve alternans.
An echogram showing mitral valve alternans was recorded in a patient with advanced cardiomyopathy and pulsus alternans induced by premature ventricular depolarizations. Decreased left ventricular emptying by the weak beat was followed by blunting of the subsequent mitral valve E point, a finding compatible with a significant elevation of left ventricular pressure in early diastole. Both alternating systolic (contractile state) and diastolic (pressure and dimension) variables seemed to participate in the alternans phenomenon in this patient.
D001145:Arrhythmias, Cardiac / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002311:Cardiomyopathy, Dilated / Q000150:complications; D004452:Echocardiography; D006349:Heart Valve Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008943:Mitral Valve / Q000503:physiopathology*; D009200:Myocardial Contraction; D011674:Pulse; D013318:Stroke Volume