Left ventricular hemodynamic forces are altered in patients with dilated cardiomyopathy

Abstract

Background Adverse cardiac remodeling is a key component of the failing heart. Increased diastolic wall stress plays a pivotal role in the development and progression of adverse cardiac remodeling. The forces generated by the left ventricular (LV) myocardium initiate blood flow, while the moving blood itself also exerts a force on the ventricular wall and heart valves. Abnormal hemodynamic forces may contribute to increased diastolic wall stress. We calculated LV hemodynamic forces from the moving blood, and hypothesized that these forces are mostly directed along the “mitral valve (MV) to apex axis” in the healthy LV, while the distribution is altered in myopathic LVs.