Echo Result

[Shelster56]

Hi,

I'm a 52-year old female with a history of two open-heart surgeries due to a bicuspid valve.  The last surgery in 1999 was an aortic valve replacement/aneurysm repair. A CT scan last year showed an ascending aortic aneurysm measuring 4.5 cm.  There are also dilations of the braceocephalic and left common carotid arteries.    

I had my annual echo last week and got a copy of the results today. The only oddity noted was that the apex of the left ventricle is hypokinetic. Otherwise, LV size, wall thickness, and overall function are normal.

Has anyone had this finding on an echo?  If not, can anyone explain the significance?  I guess the good news is that the overall LV function is normal.

Thanks in advance for any information.    

[Shelster56]

Thanks for the information. Interestingly enough my EF is in normal range - 62% - so yeah, I'm assuming that this is not a big deal.

Thanks again.

[kenkeith]

The hypokinesis is an area of damaged heart muscle that still contracts versus akinesis which is an area of heart muscle that doesn't contract at all.  

I had hypokenisis that impaired (hibernating heart cells) contractions of my left ventricle due to a deficit of blood/oxygen to an area of the heart.  Medication and a stent of the RCA increased blood flow to the area and my EF returned to normal function.  I also had an enlarged LV, apparently, your impairment of wall motion is not significant or it is minor and doesn't materially effect your LV function.