Doppler echocardiography in the evaluation of left ventricular diastolic function.

The examination of diastolic filling velocities by Doppler echocardiography has provided increasing insights into the understanding of left ventricular diastolic performance in health and disease. However, several recent studies have emphasized the importance of a wide variety of physiologic variables, including heart rate, respiration, age, and loading conditions that need to be considered as potential confounding factors in the interpretation of these filling patterns. Despite this, Doppler echocardiographic assessment has been useful in the evaluation and prognostication of a variety of restrictive cardiomyopathies. Furthermore, the study of Doppler diastolic filling velocities has improved our understanding of common cardiac diseases, including hypertensive and ischemic myocardial disease. Further enhancement of our understanding of left ventricular diastolic filling in health and disease will depend on more precise elucidation of the mechanisms responsible for diastolic function.