[Diagnosis of pulmonary hypertension with the aid of electrokymography].

Electrokymography was carried out in 198 patients with cor pulmonale and mitral defect with clinical signs of elevated blood pressure in the pulmonary circulation. The electrokymographic signs of pulmonary hypertension were developed, as well as those for the evaluation of the functional state of the myocardium of both ventricles. In making the diagnosis of elevated--pressure in the pulmonary artery system of special importance is the analysis of the electrokymogrammes of the pulmonary artery, right atrium and right ventricle, and the determination of the pulse wave speed along the pulmonary vessels. The study of the electrokymogrammes and their comparison with the clinical pattern permitted to classify all the electrokymographic criteria of pulmonary hypertension into true and relative ones, requiring verification. A differentiated analysis of the systolic and diastolic phases of the left and right ventricles was conducted. All the phases of the cardiac cycle were calculated with due regard of the contractions rate. The phase analysis permitted to assess separately the functional state of the myocardium of both halves of the heart. Electrokymography helped to reveal pulmonary hypertension that could be often diagnosed with its aid at an early stage. It permitted to diagnos an initial reduction of the contractile finction of the right ventricle.