SPEAKER TALKS

Many of the everyday clinical decisions we are asked to make for both cardiac and non-cardiac patients are dependent on systolic and diastolic function. These two parameters influence aesthesia risk, anaesthetic agent choices, medication choices, intravenous fluid rates, exercise limitations, dietary choices (eg sodium content, grain-free content), life span, quality of life, and the risk factors for CHF, thromboembolic disease, cardiac cachexia, renal hypoperfusion, hyporexia and syncope.

Diagnosis of systolic and diastolic dysfunction begins with simple assessments for a gallop rhythm and hypokinetic pulses through to a growing list of progressive technology-based quantitation assessment tools. The traditional measures of M-mode fractional shortening have been for the most part replaced by Simpsons EF%, allometrically scaled LV dimensions, strain rate, semi-automated 3-D volumetric and Tei index assessments. Diastolic function has progressed from left atrial size assessment, mitral inflow patterns, isovolumetric relaxation time and pulmonary venous flow assessment to Doppler tissue imaging and speckle-tracking/strain rate technology. 

This presentation will cover both the practical and the more complex quantification of these aspects of cardiac function and apply the findings to everyday decision-making for cardiac patients