Figure 2.
Diastolic pressure volume relationships. A, Pressure-volume curves for sedentary seniors before (r=0.97) and after (r=0.98) training and Masters athletes (r=0.93). Note leftward shift and steeper slope of curve for sedentary seniors before training compared with Masters athletes, suggesting a stiffer ventricle. No significant changes in pressure-volume curves were observed after training. B, Transmural pressures (PCWP-right atrial pressure) are used instead of PCWP for sedentary seniors before (r=0.94) and after (r=0.94) training and Masters athletes (r=0.94) to minimize the effects of external constraints on LV compliance. No significant changes were observed in pressure-volume curves after training. Note that the same scale is used for both panels A and B to emphasize the very small transmural pressure gradients that actually influence LV distension.
