THE LEFT-VENTRICULAR OUTFLOW TRACT GRADIENT BEHAVIOR AFTER EXERCISE IN TREATED PATIENTS WITH HYPERTROPHIC CARDIOMYOPATHY

We studied changes in the postexercise left ventricular outflow tract (LVOT) gradient in 14 patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HC) and resting LVOT gradient <30 mm Hg, Three different patterns of postexercise LVOT gradient behavior were observed, In 4 patients, the phenomenon of augmentation LVOT gradient during recovery was demonstrated, In 5 patients, increased LVOT gradient in the first minute after exercise subsequently declined, The rest of the patients with the lowest basal gradients presented an unchanged gradient profile during recovery, In conclusion, despite maximal well-tolerated medical therapy and lack of significant LVOT at rest, some patients do develop a gradient after exercise.