Ventriculoarterial coupling during low-level exercise testing after myocardial infarction.

To evaluate the change of ventriculoarterial coupling during low-level exercise in patients after myocardial infarction, the ratio of systolic blood pressure to left ventricular end-systolic volume (P/V ratio) and the ratio of systolic blood pressure to stroke volume (effective arterial elastance) were investigated using radionuclide angiography in 73 consecutive patients with a negative predischarge exercise test. The patients were divided into three groups according to their resting left ventricular ejection fraction: group A (n = 12) > or = 60%; group B (n = 32) 41-59%; group C (n = 29) < or = 40%. The ejection fraction increased significantly during exercise in all three groups. There was no significant difference in the change of the P/V ratio during exercise between groups A and B, but it was significantly smaller in group C. The effective arterial elastance increased during exercise in group A, did not change in group B, and decreased in group C. Thus, the augmentation of myocardial contractility was an important factor related to the increase in ejection fraction during exercise in patients with normal or slightly reduced cardiac function, whereas the decrease in effective arterial elastance was important in patients with poor cardiac function.