Echocardiographic Assessment of Left Ventricular Diastolic Function for Beginners

Abstract

Left ventricular (LV) diastolic dysfunction is associated with worse outcomes in many cardiovascular diseases. Echocardiography is the primary imaging modality used for the assessment of LV diastolic function. Noninvasive estimation of LV filling pressure is an important role of echocardiography. However, echocardiographic parameters have fundamental limitations in the diagnosis of LV diastolic dysfunction as they are significantly influenced by various hemodynamic factors. In this article, we demonstrate the diagnostic approach of LV diastolic dysfunction and pitfalls in echocardiographic diagnosis for beginners.