Our aim was to investigate the changes in the myocardium stiffness index for patients suffering from systemic hypertension, and to assess their left ventricular performance. We studied 263 hypertensive patients and 166 healthy subjects as a control group. By using conventional Doppler echocardiography, the following parameters were measured—Left ventricular end diastolic diameter, left ventricular end systolic diameter, transmitral early velocity, isovolumic relaxation time, and isovolumic contraction time. Tissue Doppler imaging (TDI) was used in the measurements of the early mitral annular velocity (Ea) and the diastolic stiffness was obtained by calculating the ratio E\Ea\LVIDd. Index myocardial performance (IMP) was calculated

Background : The contribution of diastolic dysfunction in patients with preserved left ventricular (LV) systolic function to impaired functional status and cardiac mortality in myocardial infarction (MI) is unknown.
Materials and Methods : Assessment of LV diastolic function was performed by Doppler analysis of the mitral and pulmonary venous flow and the propagation velocity of early mitral flow by color M-mode Doppler echocardiography in 150 consecutive patients at day 5-7 following their first acute MI.
Results : Patients were classified into four groups: group A: preserved LV systolic and diastolic function (n=59); group B: LV systolic dysfunction with preserved diastolic function (n=8); group C: LV diastolic dysfunction with

Background: Mitral regurgitation (MR) is the most commonly encountered valve lesion in modern clinical practice. Severe mitral regurgitation may cause systolic dysfunction. Left ventricular ejection fraction may not be an accurate measurement of LV function in patients with mitral insufficiency. Myocardial performance index (MPI) is a simple non invasive measure of myocardial function. Methods: The study involved 50 patients with valvular mitral regurgitation and 50 healthy subjects as a control group. Transthoracic echocardiography was carried out for all patients and control group. The echocardiographic measurements included left ventricular end diastolic and end systolic dimensions, left atrial diameter, ejection fraction (EF), and myoca

Background: Assessment of function of the right side of the heart in cases of left ventricular dysfunction has been widely studied but the sensitive and specific echocardiographic parameter to be tested is still a matter of controversy. Right ventricular function is related to left ventricular function by ventricular independence so function of both should be assessed carefully. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of left ventricular systolic dysfunction on right ventricular systolic and diastolic functions and pulmonary pressure using conventional and tissue Doppler echocardiography. Patients and Methods: Sixty patients (39 males and 21 females) with heart failure due to left ventricular systolic dysfunction

Background: Gestational hypertension represents a transient period of elevated blood pressure with  special effects on the maternal left ventricle that is different from the effects observed in chronic essential   hypertension; it affects a previously normal heart and lasts for a maximum of nine months associated with   volume and pressure overload on the maternal heart. Tei index (also called myocardial performance index)   was found to be a dependent combined index evaluating the systolic and diastolic function of the left   ventricle and represents a sensitive indicator for many types of heart diseases.
Objective: to evaluate the effects of gestational hypertension on the maternal myocar

Background: Heart failure is a common clinical syndrome with a high morbidity and mortality, despite advances in medical treatment. Death from dangerous ventricular arrhythmias is
frequently implicated.
Patients, materials & methods: Eighty patients with heart failure (HF) (fitting the criteria of heart failure) who were admitted to the medical city teaching hospital during a period of 8
months, were studied for incidence of nonsustained ventricular tachycardia (N.S.V.T.) (detected by Holter monitoring) and its association with the severity of left ventricular dysfunction
(measured by ejection fraction), ventricular size (measured by left ventricular end diastolic dimension), and other factors .
Res

Background: Acute myocardial infarction
(AMI) is one of the most common diagnoses
in hospitalized patients. The stimulus that
initiates the acute inflammatory process in AMI
has not been identified. Conventional risk
factors account only for approximately half of
the patients with clinically apparent
atherosclerosis which can leads to AMI.
Recently a potential link between infectious
agents and atherosclerosis has been suggested
Objective: To find a possible association
between Helicobacter pylori (H. Pylori)
infection and AMI.
Method: We studied the prevalence of antiH. pylori antibodies in 94 patients who were
admitted with the diagnosis of AMI and a
similar number of healthy individuals w

Profound maternal hemodynamic changes occur in order to satisfy the demands of a growing foetus. Early in pregnancy, peripheral vascular resistance (PVR) lowers, generating a considerable rise in cardiac output. Many parameters are employed for measuring the LV systolic function with different echocardiographic modalities including: M-Mode echocardiography, two-dimensional echocardiography, three-dimensional echocardiography, tissue doppler imaging.

Objectives: To identify quality of life (QOL) in Myocardial Infarction (MI) patients, and to find out the
relationship between QOL in MI patients and demographic characteristics.
Methodology: A descriptive colTelation study which utilized an assessment approach. The study was carried out
from March 2007 through November 2007 in order to assess the quality of life for patients with myocardial
infarction. A purposive "non-probability" sample of (75) patients with myocardial infarction who were attending
to Baquba General Hospita`l through their visits to that hospital. A questionnaire was adapted and developed
from the World Health Organization Quality of Life Scale (1998). The questionnaire was designed and
consisted

Background: Diabetes mellitus is a major risk factor for coronary artery disease, with a higher incidence of myocardial infarction and sudden death. Left ventricular dysfunction is difficult to diagnose and to differentiate into diastolic and systolic dysfunction on the basis of medical history, physical examination, electrocardiography (ECC) and chest radiography. Two-dimensional, M-mode, and Doppler echocardiography are excellent for diagnosing left ventricular dysfunction. M-mode echocardiography was used for diagnosing left ventricular systolic dysfunction, while Doppler echocardiography has become well accepted as a reliable, reproducible and practical noninvasive method for the diagnosis of left v