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optimist324 · 02-17-2006, 08:24 PM

I have just been diagnosed with dilated cardiomyopathy (familial?) EF now up to 35% my family doctor just gave me a copy of the letter the cardiologist sent him and it said" EF 35% with pseudo-normalized diastolic function", can anyone tell me what that means? Follow up in 1 year advised.

Lenin · 02-18-2006, 05:52 AM

optimist,
PSuedonormalized: It's complicated but basically it refers to the newer testing of people with heart failure (cardiomyopathy) showing "normal" diastolic function on older tests but it's really a "pseudonormal" condition revealed only by newer testing techniques.<more complicated than that dealing with arcane electocardiology.>
With SYSTOLIC dysfunction the emptying of the right ventrricle is defective...with normal dystolic function the it's the FILLING of the ventricle that's defective. So "pseudonormal" probably indicates you have a filling...diastolic... problem.
(I know, clear as mud)

An ejection fraction of something like 55-75% (ratio of blood actually pumped out of the left ventricle/ blood available in a full ventricle) is considered normal. So your 35% is quite poor.

What measures are your doctors taking to slow down or improve your condition? I think "check it in a year" isn't anywhere near good enough.

I'll bet you feel pretty weak...any swelling from edema?

optimist324 · 02-18-2006, 06:40 AM

thank you for your reply, I have been put on a beta blocker toprol 25 mg and lisinipril 5 mg daily. I have no swelling just tired all the time , the only sign I had was sudden chest pain for a day which prompted a visit to the er and an echo that showed my ef on the low side then a consult a few days later with a cardiologist. They did a stress echo and the ef then was 30% and letter to family doc stated the diagnosis of dilated cardiomyopathy and the pseudonormalized thing. When I asked what it was, My family doc said that was just cardio lingo and not to worry about it as the beta blocker and bp pill should improve the ef. He said that as I have no symptoms or signs even with the low ef I can lead a normal live with no restrictions and a yearly followup with a cardiologist.

started04 · 02-18-2006, 09:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by optimist324

I have just been diagnosed with dilated cardiomyopathy (familial?) EF now up to 35% my family doctor just gave me a copy of the letter the cardiologist sent him and it said" EF 35% with pseudo-normalized diastolic function", can anyone tell me what that means? Follow up in 1 year advised.

The skinny version to your questions. Dialated cardiomyopathy is an enlarged ventricle usually due the result of the heart compensating and overworking for a deficiency within the circulation system.

Psuedo...is a condition that relates to the pressure gradients and stroke volume within the left side of the heart. If the left ventricle muscle is stiff, there will be an increase in pressure, and an impaired rate of relaxation during the filling of blood stage. The increased pressure is the heart compensating and the left ventricle will enlarge (cardiomyopathy).

There are 3 classifications for LV dysfunction with progression from impaired relaxation (mild), "psuedonormalization" (moderate due to an increase in LA pressure), and restrictive (severe, remarkable increase in LA pressure).

Sometimes the condition is due pericarditis when the outer layer of the heart becomes inflamed and thickened reducing the elasticity of the chamber. For this reason or some other reason the result can be the inablity of the heart's stroke volume of blood to meet the system's oxygen demand. Worst-case scenario!!! EF will be at the 29% level or below.

Lenin · 02-19-2006, 05:58 AM

optimist,

Here is an excellent summary of the disease, it's diagnosis and treatment options (the lisinopril is an excellent choice...I hope you don't cough.)
The page seems to me to be completely free of commercial advertising:

http://www.emedicine.com/EMERG/topic80.htm

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