Objective: To investigate the relationship between left ventricular diastolic dysfunction and episodes of angina decubitus.
Methods: The study population consisted of three groups, groups I (20 controls) had no cardiovascular diseases. Group II (20 patients) had coronary artery disease (CAD) without angina decubitus. Group III (24 cases with ejection fraction (EF) > 45%) were selected from 26 patients with angina decubitus.
Results: Left ventriculography (LVG) showed that left ventricular (LV) first 1/3 filling fraction (1/3FF) was significantly reduced in groups III as compared with groups II and I (P < 0.01). Left ventricular end-diastolic pressure (LVEDP) significantly increased in patients with angina decubitus after LVG as compared with that before LVG (P < 0.01). However, there were no statistically differences in LVEDP, before and after LVG in both groups II and I.
Conclusions: Patients with angina decubitus have abnormalities of LV diastolic filling and decrease in LV compliance.