Echocardiographic assessment of left ventricular function

Echocardiography provides a comprehensive assessment of most important parameters of LV systolic and diastolic function. In many clinical situations a combination of these will be required to establish a complete diagnosis and determine appropriate management decisions. In those patients in whom the diagnosis remains elusive after a complete resting Doppler echocardiographic study, stress echocardiography may also be performed. The application of new echocardiographic indices to evaluate LV function during exercise represents a new frontier in clinical research.