title: Automatized determination of left ventricular systolic intervals and assessment of their significance in the epidemiology of ischaemic heart disease.
abstract: Knowledge of the functional state of the myocardium in patients with coronary heart disease is of essential importance for the prognosis and therapy of the disease. The PEP/LVET index is closely correlated with the ejection fraction and is a reliable criterion for separating patients with normal and disturbed function of the left ventricle, but it does not suffice for uncovering an initial haemodynamic alteration either at rest or during isometric exercise test. The good reproducibility of systolic intervals makes possible a long-term follow-up of patients, especially in cases in which direct examination methods have limited applicability. Computer processing of polygraph tracings makes possible to analyse data of large groups of patients. The accuracy of systolic intervals determination matches that of the classical reading by two independent observes. The use of computing techniques in the analysis of curves and in their statistical evaluation contributes to the standardization of the whole measuring procedure and makes possible a wide clinical use of non-invasive polygraphic methods.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003201:Computers; D017023:Coronary Angiography; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009200:Myocardial Contraction; D013318:Stroke Volume; D013599:Systole