Mitral valve motion during diastole in patients with complete heart block: relation of pressure gradients between left atrium and left ventricle

Cathet Cardiovasc Diagn. 1988;15(1):23-6. doi: 10.1002/ccd.1810150106.

Abstract

We analyzed the high-fidelity left atrial and left ventricular pressures and the echocardiograms of the mitral valve, left atrium, and left ventricle in patients with complete heart block. During left ventricular diastole, the mitral valve opened, and no pressure gradient was observed between the left atrium and the left ventricle before the left atrial contraction. After the left atrial contraction, the mitral valve closed with persistent higher left ventricular than left atrial pressure. These findings indicated that during the left ventricular diastole in patients with complete heart block, the mitral valve closed after the left atrial contraction, which appeared to be maintained by the pressure gradient between the left ventricle and the left atrium.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Diastole*
  • Electrocardiography
  • Female
  • Heart / physiopathology*
  • Heart Atria / physiopathology
  • Heart Block / physiopathology*
  • Heart Ventricles / physiopathology
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Mitral Valve / physiopathology*
  • Myocardial Contraction*
  • Pressure