Using Tissue Doppler and Speckle Tracking Echocardiography to Assess if Ivabradine Improves Right Ventricular Function

Objective To evaluate the mid-term effects of ivabradine on right ventricular functions in patients with heart failure. Methods A prospective study was conducted on 52 patients who had heart failure in normal sinus rhythm (59% male, age: 64.76 ±12.49 years). Right ventricular functions were measured at baseline, after one month and one year by conventional and tissue Doppler echocardiography imaging. The parameters, right ventricular (RV) longitudinal strain (LS), RV systolic longitudinal strain rate (LSRs), RV early diastolic longitudinal strain rate, and late diastolic longitudinal strain rate, were evaluated by apical four-chamber grayscale imaging through the free wall of RV in accordance with the automated function imaging protocol. Results During the follow-up, the pulmonary artery systolic pressure (PASP), RV fractional area change (RVFAC), tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion (TAPSE), myocardial performance index (MPI), E peak, and A peak values were similar to the basal values. While comparing the basal values of the global longitudinal systolic strain (GLS), LS, LSRs, longitudinal strain rate diastolic early filling (LSRe), and longitudinal strain rate diastolic late filling (LSRa), there were no differences in the first month but a significant increase was observed on one-year follow-up (p<0.001). Conclusion At the one-year follow-up, the heart failure patients who were given ivabradine treatment showed an improvement in the right ventricular function assessed by the new echocardiographic techniques.