Diastolic Dysfunction

We all know our heart beats continuously for life to pump blood all over the body. This heart pumping takes just about a second to complete in two steps. The blood is collected in the right and left atria and a signal is sent out by the sinoatrial (SA) node. This electric signal makes the atria contract and pushes the blood through the tricuspid and mitral valve. The blood now enters the right and left ventricles and the heart now relaxes. This relaxing phase is called the diastole. Thus, completing the first step of the pumping action of the human heart. When the SA node sends an electric signal to the ventricles full of blood, they contract. This contraction of ventricles is called the systole. The back flow of blood is prevented as the tricuspid and mitral valve shut close. The pulmonary and aortic valves are opened and the blood is pushed into the right ventricle into the lungs. When the oxygen rich blood flows into the left ventricle and from here it is pumped to the circulatory system of the body. When the heart fails to relax or suffers from impaired relaxation action, it leads to an abnormal pumping cycle. This is called the diastolic dysfunction. The ventricle fails to relax normally and thus the pressure increases causing problems in the next heartbeat.

Causes

• Chronic high blood pressure
• Aortic stenosis
• Coronary artery disease
• Aging
• Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy
• Severe systolic dysfunction
• Scarred heart muscles
• Diabetes, causing stiffening of heart muscles due to glycosylation
• Congestive heart failure

Symptoms

Most of the cases show there are no prominent symptoms. The symptoms may take many years to develop. Thus, it is very important to make an early diagnosis of the condition. It has been seen that those who receive early medical care, have better prognosis. The symptoms may include:

• Fatigue
• Breathing problems
• Shortness of breath
• Tachycardia
• Distention of jugular vein
• Edema
• Enlarged liver

Grade

The diastolic dysfunction is a heart disease or condition, divided into various grades according to the symptoms exhibited. These grades are as follows:

Grade 1
The grade 1 diastolic dysfunction is a mild condition that can also be termed as the early stage of diastolic dysfunction. There are no clinical signs or symptoms in many patients.

Grade 2
The grade 2 diastolic dysfunction is also known as the pseudonormal filling dynamics. This is a moderate condition that shows elevated left atrial filling pressures. The symptoms include symptoms similar to heart failure. There may be left atrial enlargement due to elevated pressure in the left heart.

Grade 3 and 4
These are the most severe forms of the condition, where the patient may show advanced heart failure symptoms. The prognosis for grade 3 and 4 is generally very poor. The left atrial enlargement is observed and the systolic and diastolic dysfunction is indicated by the reduction in the left ventricular ejection fraction.

Treatment

Diastolic dysfunction is a chronic condition and can be handled by the patient without any medical treatment. The treatment is generally aimed at treating a cause like diabetes, high blood pressure, etc. that leads to a stiff ventricle. The treatment is still in the trial and error stage. Calcium channel blocker drugs may be used to reduce the stiffness in ventricles. Diuretics are used in case of pulmonary edema.

This was some information related to diastolic dysfunction, a condition affecting heart health. This condition mostly affects the elderly. For better prognosis, it is important the condition is diagnosed early and treated in time.