[Left ventricular function in chronic pulmonary hypertension].

10 patients with chronic pulmonary hypertension (PH) consequent to primary or secondary pulmonary vascular disease and 12 control subjects were studied by left ventricular (LV) micromanometry and cineangiography. At rest, LV "total pressure" Vmax and volumetric parameters (RAO position) of the patients with PH were within normal limits. LV end-diastolic pressure, was, however, significantly increased. Biplane cineangiographic evaluation in 6 patients with PH revealed a significantly reduced LV transverse diameter in the LAO as compared to the RAO position. This finding was confirmed by echocardiography. The thickness of the LV lateral and posterior wall was normal, whereas septal thickness was significantly increased in the patients with PH. During isometric exercise Vmax increased significantly in PH but not in the controls. It is concluded that (1) in chronic PH LV function is normal at rest, (2) LV contractile reserve is inpaired and (3) apparent LV compliance is reduced due to both septal hypertrophy and abnormal LV geometry.