EchoBridge Pearl #25: Qualitative Assessment of Global Left Ventricular Systolic Function

Global left ventricular (LV) systolic function can be assessed accurately using a qualitative ("eyeball") approach.

By integrating myocardial thickening, endocardial excursion, and overall ventricular contraction across multiple echocardiographic views, clinicians can reliably estimate global LV systolic function at the bedside.

With practice, visual estimation provides rapid, clinically meaningful information that often guides immediate patient management without the need for formal quantitative measurements.

In these parasternal long-axis clips, top left: severely reduced LV contractility; top right: moderately reduced; bottom left: normal; bottom right: hyperdynamic.

Reference:

📖 Moore CL, Rose GA, Tayal VS, Sullivan DM, Arrowood JA, Kline JA. Determination of left ventricular function by emergency physician echocardiography of hypotensive patients. Acad Emerg Med. 2002.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11874773/

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