Pulmonary vein Doppler flow patterns specific for elevated left ventricular filling pressures in older cardiac patients are common in healthy adults < 40 years old.
In older cardiac patients, elevated left-sided heart filling pressures are predicted by both a systolic PV flow fraction < 40% and a greater duration during atrial systole of reversal flow into the PVs than forward flow through the mitral valve. However, this study shows that these Doppler findings are not uncommon in younger subjects without cardiac disease. Use of these PV Doppler flow parameters to assess LV filling pressures should be limited to older patients.
Citrin
B S
BS
Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Vanderbilt University Hospital, Nashville, Tennessee 37232, USA.
Mensah
G A
GA
Byrd
B F
BF
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity; D015150:Echocardiography, Doppler; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008943:Mitral Valve / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000502:physiology; D011667:Pulmonary Veins / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000502:physiology; D012016:Reference Values; D017725:Ventricular Pressure