Preserving left ventricular function during percutaneous coronary intervention.

The heart failure epidemic is predominantly an effect of widespread coronary disease, better treatment of coronary heart disease and an aging population. While coronary intervention prevents left ventricular systolic dysfunction (LVSD) by preventing or limiting myocardial damage, it can also be a cause of (iatrogenic) LVSD. Limiting myocardial damage during coronary intervention may well be the next important step that interventional cardiologists need to take by qualifying each procedure as high or low risk for the induction of LVSD and using an appropriate strategy that minimizes the risk of LVSD. This article discusses the various options of limiting LVSD during coronary intervention.