Left Ventricular Contractility and Wall Stress in Patients With Aortic Stenosis With Preserved or Reduced Ejection Fraction

This study sought to determine the prevalence of reduced contractility and uncompensated wall stress in patients with aortic stenosis (AS) with preserved or reduced left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and their impact on survival. LVEF in AS is determined not only by contractility but also by loading conditions. Patients with first diagnosis (time 0) of severe AS (aortic valve area [AVA]≤1 cm2) with prior echo study (−3±1 years) were...