The pressure-volume loop begins with contraction and the isovolumic phase of the cardiac cycle. Ventricular ejection begins once ventricular pressure rises above aortic pressure. Peak LV pressure is similar to peak aortic pressure or systolic blood pressure, which is followed by the end-systolic pressure (Pes). This is followed by the isovolumic relaxation phase and then ventricular filling phase of the cardiac cycle once atrial pressure exceeds ventricular pressure. The difference between end-systolic volume (ESV) and end-diastolic volume (EDV) is stroke volume (SV).
The EDPRV is established by altering ventricular loading conditions, generating a series of PVLs, and connecting the end-diastolic pressureโvolume points of each loop. The EDPVR is curvilinear in nature and is indicative of ventricular passive viscoelastic properties or stiffness at the point of complete myofilament inactivation. Chamber stiffness, or its reciprocal, chamber compliance, relates changes in ventricular volume in response to changes in diastolic transmural pressure. An increaseโฆ
