Doppler echocardiographic criteria for classification of diastolic function

E: peak early filling velocity; A: velocity at atrial contraction; DT: mitral E velocity deceleration time; Adur: A duration; ARdur: AR duration; S: systolic forward flow; D: diastolic forward flow; AR: pulmonary venous atrial reversal flow; e': velocity of mitral annulus early diastolic motion; a': velocity of mitral annulus motion with atrial systole.
* DT is usually >160 ms in this setting.
¶ DT is usually <160 ms with grade III diastolic dysfunction but can exceed ≥160 ms in some patients with E velocity >120 cm/s. In individuals <40 years old, E/A ratio >2 may be a normal finding. Normal individuals have normal e' velocity.
◊ Right ventricular systolic pressure (which is reflected by tricuspid regurgitation jet velocity) and systolic pulmonary artery pressure generally correlate with left atrial pressure. In the absence of right ventricular outflow obstruction or pulmonary disease, an elevated right ventricular systolic pressure suggests elevated left atrial pressure.