Abstract 18029: Left Ventricular Systolic Strain in Older Subjects with No Known Cardiac Disease

Introduction: It is known that with increasing age impaired myocardial relaxation increases, while systolic function is preserved. We hypothesize that there is, in fact, subclinical left ventricular (LV) systolic dysfunction in older subjects. We test this hypothesis by assessing LV systolic strain using velocity vector imaging in older subjects with no known cardiac disease. Methods: One-hundred and ninety consecutive subjects with no known cardiac disease had their echocardiograms analyzed by VVI after excluding patients with a left ventricular ejection fraction(LVEF) 120ms. Subjects were divided into 2 groups based on age; older (> 60 years) and younger (< 60 years). Demographic, clinical and echocardiographic data were collected. Time to peak longitudinal and circumferential strain were calculated from apical 4-chamber, 2-chamber and short axis views. The above collected data were compared between groups. Results: The final cohort consis...