Apex-carotid diagram in systolic click-late systolic murmur syndrome.

A new non-invasive method based on mechanographic cycles has been developed for the study of heart function. It integrates synchronously recorded indirect carotid tracing and left apex cardiogram into an apex-carotid diagram. In 25 patients with systolic click-late systolic murmur syndrome, the diagram showed an elongation with a curvature of the segment of slow ventricular ejection to the right and a decrease in the area of ventricular ejection. It is concluded that apex-carotid diagram is an additional tool in diagnosis of the mitral valve prolapse syndrome.