6 REGIONAL PULSED DOPPLERMYOCARDIAL MAPPING DURING EXERCISE ECHOCARDIOGRAPHY.

Background: Exercise effects on regional myocardial velocities have not been well described. Objectives: To evaluate regional systolic and diastolic velocities by pulsed Doppler myocardial mapping during exercise echocardiogram in patients without apparent cardiac disease and to explore feasibility of regional tissue Doppler during exercise. Methods: 49 consecutive patients (61 ± 10 years) without cardiovascular history who underwent 3 stages of supine bicycle exercise echocardiography were prospectively selected, if they showed normal wall motion at rest, during, and post-submaximal exercise. Were excluded patients with a bad acoustic window and significant valvular or myocardial diseases. Maximal spectral Doppler velocities during systole and early diastole (within 3 minutes) were recorded at each stage in the basal third of the inferior, lateral and anterior walls and in the middle septum from the apical 2 and 4 chambers views. Results: All patient performed regional tissue Doppler during exercise. See table. D: diastolic, S: systolic, Exer: exercise Incr: increase% from rest ″p < 0.05 compared with other segments; *p < 0.001 compared with rest. Conclusion: Exercise increases diastolic and systolic myocardial Doppler velocities around 30% in all segments in patients without apparent cardiac disease. Post exercise there are no different to peak exercise velocities. Middle septal velocity is lower than the other basal segments. Regional tissue Doppler may be performed during exercise echocardiogram. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]