Left ventricular dilatation. Prognostic value in severe left ventricular dysfunction secondary to coronary artery disease.

This study determines the noninvasive prognostic predictors (using radionuclide angiography) in patients with severe left ventricular dysfunction (resting ejection fraction less than or equal to 35 percent) secondary to coronary artery disease. We retrospectively evaluated 94 such patients using rest and exercise radionuclide ventriculography. At a mean follow-up of 16 months, cardiac events occurred in 22 patients: ten patients died of cardiac causes, five patients sustained nonfatal myocardial infarction, and seven patients developed severe congestive heart failure (class 4). Results indicate that patients with severe left ventricular dysfunction may be stratified into different risk groups according to left ventricular size. Marked left ventricular dilatation identifies a subgroup at high risk.