Etymed
systolic dysfunction
Definition
abnormal contraction function of the heart muscle during systole
Clinical context
A 65-year-old man presents to the emergency department with progressive dyspnea and fatigue over the past month. On examination, he has bilateral pulmonary crackles and bilateral lower extremity edema. Echocardiogram reveals a reduced ejection fraction of 35% with diffuse hypokinesis of the left ventricular walls. His symptoms improve significantly with diuretic therapy and cardiac resynchronization therapy. The patient's condition reflects systolic dysfunction characterized by impaired myocardial contraction during systole.
Mnemonic
SYSTOLE = SICK heart muscle unable to contract properly