Diastolic Dysfunction

[LukeL]

Echo report showed mild to moderate LVH with evidence of possible left diastolic dysfunction. EF and wall motions were all normal as were all other parameters with evidence of mild insuffiencies in both the mitral and tricuspid valves.

Does anyone know why the echo report would show diastolic dysfunction, even though no doctor has mentioned it to me? I am 22 years old don't smoke or drink have a total cholestrol of 98 and a bp of around 100/70

[Jack54]

The Echo showed "possible diastolic dysfunction". Your doctor may not have been confident in the echo findings, or he did not interpret the echo report the same as the computer.

I have diastolic failure that has shown up twice on 2 cardiac catheterizations within 3.5 months, and it would never have been discussed if not for myself seeing the left ventricle end diastolic fill pressure. An LVEDP = 20 mmhg or greater is considered diastolic failure. Mine is 24 mmhg.

I have learned that cardiologist do not freely give you bad information. They are afraid that stress will make it worse, and/or that they may have to spend time explaining a process to you that there is not much they can do for except treat with certain heart medicines.

In this case I have read that exercise can help. I just can't find the energy to exercise. Some people have better doctors than I have had, so they have had different experiences. Some exchange emails with their cardiologist.

Diastolic failure can progress to diastolic heart failure. The only difference is that with failure you experience the symptoms of shortness of breath, fatigue and pulmonary congestion. Atrial fibrillation is also associated with diastolic failure.

Your EF remains good, but your cardiac output decreases. Diastolic failure has more than one cause, such as:
chronic hypertension
hypertrophic cardiomyopathy
aortic stenosis
coronary artery disease
restrictive cardiomyopathy (a rare condition in which the heart muscle is infiltrated, and made stiff, by abnormal cells, protein, or scar tissue. The most common cause of restrictive cardiomyopathy is amyloidosis, a disease in which protein-like substance is deposited within the body's tissues. Other causes include sarcoidosis and hemochromatosis.)

The heart muscle of your left ventricle does not relax during the diastolic (resting phase). Therefore the stroke volume is less, but the ejection fraction (EF) remains good.

Good luck,

Jack

[Jason216]

Doctors are obligated to tell you what's wrong. They wouldn't intentionally withhold such important information about a patient's health. That's unethical.