Inhalation of amyl nitrite and the measurement of left ventricular outflow velocity: studies in normal, young adults.

Amyl nitrite inhalation is useful in the identification of patients with provocable left ventricular (LV) outflow tract obstruction. However, there are no prospective studies that assess the normal change in LV outflow velocity during this intervention. Eighteen normal subjects (mean age, 34 ± 5 years; 9 men and 9 women) inhaled amyl nitrite during measurement of LV outflow velocity. Peak velocity increased from 109 ± 16 cm/s to 144 ± 24 cm/s (P < 0.001). There were no significant gender differences in velocity measurements at baseline or at peak. Our study provides prospective data that may be useful when evaluating young adults for LV outflow tract obstruction with Doppler echocardiography during amyl nitrite inhalation.