Chest ACCP Member Benefits
HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced]


     

Guest Access | Sign In via User Name/Password
This Article
Right arrow Full Text (PDF) Free
Right arrow Submit a response
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me when eLetters are posted
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to My Personal Article Archive
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow reprints & permissions
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Karaian, C. H.
Right arrow Articles by Rahimtoola, S. H.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Karaian, C. H.
Right arrow Articles by Rahimtoola, S. H.

Chest, Vol 88, 553-557, Copyright © 1985 by American College of Chest Physicians

ARTICLES

The relationship between functional class and cardiac performance in patients with chronic aortic insufficiency

CH Karaian, BH Greenberg and SH Rahimtoola

We have evaluated the relationship of New York Heart Association functional class (FC) assessment to rest and exercise hemodynamics and resting left ventricular (LV) functional data in 75 consecutive patients with isolated, chronic aortic insufficiency. Although there was a tendency for hemodynamic and angiographic variables to worsen as FC increased there was considerable overlap between patients assigned to the various groups. Statistically significant differences were seen only for resting left ventricular end-diastolic pressure (LVEDP) and pulmonary artery wedge (PAW) pressure which were higher in FC 3/4 patients than in FC 1 or 2 patients. The results of our study suggest that FC assignment cannot be used to accurately define underlying LV performance or hemodynamics in an individual patient with chronic aortic insufficiency. However, since severe abnormalities are unlikely to be present in asymptomatic patients, routine detailed frequent investigation does not seem warranted in this group. As FC worsens, the likelihood of left ventricular dysfunction increases. Thus, the presence of symptoms is an indication for more extensive evaluation.


This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 NEJMHome page
R. Scognamiglio, S. H. Rahimtoola, G. Fasoli, S. Nistri, and S. D. Volta
Nifedipine in Asymptomatic Patients with Severe Aortic Regurgitation and Normal Left Ventricular Function
N. Engl. J. Med., September 15, 1994; 331(11): 689 - 694.
[Abstract] [Full Text]


HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
Copyright © 1985 by the American College of Chest Physicians.