Myocardial work in assessment of left ventricular systolic function

: This review focuses on a new method for noninvasive, complex evaluation of left ventricular (LV) systolic function using an echocardiography-based technology of computing indexes of myocardial performance by construction of pressure-deformation curves. Since this new method accounts for the effect of afterload on myocardial contractility, the article presents data demonstrating advantages of the evaluation of LV myocardial performance over the speckle-tracking echocardiography and other methods in diagnostics of several diseases. The review provides a description of this method and its advantages and limitations. The authors analyzed results of major studies on evaluation of LV performance. Prospects of implementation and practical use of the method are discussed in the aspects of diagnostics of cardiovascular diseases and risk stratification for different groups of patients.