Diastolic dysfunction: Pathogenesis, therapy and the importance of Doppler echocardiography

Diastolic dysfunction is characterized by increased resistance to ventricular filling, inappropriate upward shift of the diastolic pressure-volume relationship and exercise intolerance. Inappropriate tachycardia, decreased diastolic compliance and impaired systolic relaxation lead to diastolic dysfunction. Optimal therapy will depend on the type and pathophysiologic phase of disease. Doppler echocardiography is a valuable tool to diagnose diastolic dysfunction and therapeutic effects of drugs on diastolic function in different groups of patients. Recently a lot of studies have been going on this subject.