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 | Robin Parks, MS |
| Editor | Kathleen M. Ariss, MS |
| Associate Editor | Pat Truman, MATC |
| Associate Editor | Terrina Vail |
| Primary Medical Reviewer | Caroline S. Rhoads, MD - Internal Medicine |
| Specialist Medical Reviewer | Stephen Fort, MD, MRCP, FRCPC - Interventional Cardiology |
| Last Updated | September 1, 2006 |
WebMD Medical Reference from Healthwise
Last Updated:
September 01, 2006
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