Right Ventricular-pulmonary Arterial Coupling in Pulmonary Hypertension: Application Advances

Abstract

Prognosis in pulmonary hypertension is closely associated with right heart function. In the early stage of pulmonary hypertension, the right ventricle can maintain the normal blood flow of the pulmonary circulation by increasing its contractility. As the disease progresses, the right ventricular afterload rises persistently, the right ventricle is gradually decompensated, even right heart failure occurs. Right ventricular-pulmonary arterial coupling refers to a matching between right ventricular contractility and afterload. The impairment of this coupling may be an early marker of right ventricular dysfunction. This article reviews the research progress of its assessment and application in pulmonary hypertension.

Keywords

• pulmonary hypertension
• right ventricular dysfunction
• echocardiography
• right ventricular-pulmonary arterial coupling