Regional and global left ventricular function during intra-aortic balloon counterpulsation in patients with acute myocardial infarction shock.

We evaluated the improvement in hemodynamic and left ventricular (LV) function in 15 patients with acute myocardial infarction and cardiogenic shock, who were treated with intraaortic balloon counterpulsation (IABP). They were studied by flow-directed right heart catheterization and nuclear angiography. IABP decreased LV end-diastolic volume from 134 to 114 ml and LV end-systolic volume from 100 to 72 ml. LV stroke volume increased from 34 to 42 ml and cardiac output from 3.0 to 3.6 L/min. Global LV ejection fraction increased from 27.6% to 36.1%, and this was due to improvement in regional ejection fraction in ischemic areas. Pulmonary capillary wedge pressure and pulmonary blood volume decreased. Right ventricular ejection fraction also increased significantly. IABP improved LV function in acute myocardial infarction.