Significance of the apexcardiogram in non-invasive assessment of postextrasystolic potentiation.

The study revealed the usefulness of the apexcardiogram in the assessment of the contractile state of left ventricle in cases of ventricular extrasystolia. The pre-ejection period/left ventricular ejection time (PEP/LVET) ratio and isovolumic contraction period (IVCP) are good parameters for demonstrating the postextrasystolic potentiation, the lack of which occurs in severe heart failure. PEP/LVET and IVCP are R-R-interval dependent in parasystolia. In the establishment of the postextrasystolic potentiation, the authors contribute an important role to the ventricular filling during the compensatory pause.