Diastolic Dysfunction of the Heart Associated With Increased Risk of Death, Cleveland Clinic Study Finds

A new report published in the June 27 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals, suggests that diastolic dysfunction maybe an independent risk factor for increased risk of death. Diastolic dysfunction leads to an impaired relaxation of the ventricles, the pumping chambers of the heart, after contraction. This increased risk is independent of whether the patient has normal or abnormal systolic function. Systolic function is the ability of the heart to contract and push blood to the body. This risk seems to be also independent of whether the patient has any other cardiovascular abnormalities.