Lusitropy

Lusitropy refers to the rate of relaxation of the heart during the diastole phase. It is a measure of the heart's performance and is influenced by various factors, including the heart's intrinsic properties and external factors such as neurohormonal activation.

Overview

Lusitropy is a term derived from the Greek words "lusis" meaning dissolution and "tropos" meaning a turning. In the context of cardiology, it refers to the heart's ability to relax and fill with blood during the diastole phase. This is an important aspect of the heart's function as it determines the volume of blood that can be pumped out during the next contraction or systole phase.

Factors Influencing Lusitropy

Several factors can influence lusitropy, including:

• Intrinsic Factors: These are factors inherent to the heart itself, such as the properties of the myocardium (heart muscle) and the state of the cardiac cycle.
• Extrinsic Factors: These are external factors that can affect the heart's function, such as neurohormonal activation. For example, activation of the sympathetic nervous system can enhance lusitropy, while activation of the parasympathetic nervous system can decrease it.

Clinical Significance

Abnormal lusitropy can lead to various heart conditions. For instance, impaired lusitropy can result in diastolic heart failure, a condition where the heart is unable to fill with blood properly. On the other hand, enhanced lusitropy can lead to tachycardia, a condition characterized by an abnormally fast heart rate.

See Also

• Inotropy
• Chronotropy
• Dromotropy

References

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