Sreenivasan Sreenath, Santhosh Kumar, Thulaseedharan Saraswathy, Rajeevan Sreekumaran Nair
BACKGROUND
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is a chronic debilitating disease that is characterised by poorly reversible airflow limitation. COPD includes emphysema, chronic bronchitis and small airway diseases. It is a leading cause of mortality worldwide. The prevalence of COPD increases with age. The lungs and the heart are so closely interrelated organs that diseases of the one results in impaired functioning of the other. A high prevalence of left ventricular dysfunction has been noticed to exist in patients with COPD and this might result in poor quality of life and exercise intolerance in COPD patients.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
64 patients with COPD confirmed by spirometry were examined clinically after taking relevant history. ECG and chest x-ray findings were noted. Echocardiography was done for these patients to assess the left ventricular functioning and degree of pulmonary artery hypertension.
RESULTS
LV diastolic dysfunction was found in 84% of the patients with COPD in this study. 37.5% had stage I, 46.9% had stage II LV diastolic dysfunction. CONCLUSION
In our study, it was found that LV diastolic dysfunction was highly prevalent in patients with moderate-to-severe COPD. LV diastolic dysfunction could be a contributing factor to worsening dyspnoea and exercise intolerance in COPD patients
