ABSTRACT
In this chapter, we introduce a new cardiac (left ventricular) contractility index dσ*/dtmax, which can be determined without the measurement of intra-left ventricular pressure. We have provided its rationale and derivation and demonstrated (1) its good correlation with the traditional contractility index dP/dtmax, in patients with varying ejection fractions, and (2) its capacity to diagnose heart failure with normal ejection fraction (HFNEF, or diastolic heart failure) and with reduced ejection fraction (HFREF, or systolic heart failure).
