Normal left ventricular pressure tracing recorded with a 40 mmHg scale; electrocardiographic leads II and aVL are recorded simultaneously. With rapid filling of the left ventricle at the onset of diastole, there is a gradual increase in pressure, culminating with left atrial contraction and an "a" wave. The pressure just prior to the onset of left ventricular systole is the left ventricular end-distolic pressure (LVEDP).
Reproduced with permission from Kern MJ. ACC Current Journal Review, in press, 1997.
