RELATION BETWEEN AORTIC STIFFNESS AND LEFT VENTRICULAR DISTOLIC FUNCTION IN PATIENTS WITH PROVEN CORONARY ARTERY DISEASE

Abstract

Background -The aorta losses its elastic property and becomes stiffen with the process of ageing and atherosclerosis.
Aim and Objective - To evaluate aortic stiffness and its relation to left ventricular diastolic function in patients with
proven coronary artery disease. Materials and Method –The cross-sectional study included 146 study subjects.
Aortic strain and distensibility were calculated from the aortic diameters measured by echocardiography and blood
pressure obtained by sphygmomanometer.Results were analyzed using SPSS version 2.1. Results -The aortic
stiffness index is significantly increased in patients with proven coronary artery disease(mean ASI = 38.7) than
control groups (mean ASI =21.9). High aortic stiffness index and presence of diastolic dysfunction is significantly
correlated in patients with proven coronary artery disease .Conclusion - The aortic elasticity and left ventricular
diastolic function are significantly impaired in the presence of coronary artery disease. Aortic stiffness index may be
used as echocardiographic parameter to predict the atherosclerotic burden.