Diastolic dysfunction
Diastolic heart failure occurs when the lower left chamber (left ventricle) is not able to fill properly with blood during the diastolic (filling) phase. The percentage of blood pumped out (ejection fraction) often is normal.
Diastolic dysfunction most often is caused by an incomplete relaxation (stiffness) of the ventricle muscle, which may develop from untreated high blood pressure.
| Author: | Douglas Dana Robin Parks, MS | Last Updated: October 23, 2006 |
| Medical Review: | Adam Husney, MD - Family Medicine Caroline S. Rhoads, MD - Internal Medicine Stephen Fort, MD, MRCP, FRCPC - Interventional Cardiology | |
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