Abstract To evaluate the effect of Carvedilol on the cardiac function in patients with chronic heart failure(CHF) using Tei index and other cardiac function index. Methods: Sixty-three cases of CHF(NYHA Ⅱ～Ⅲ) were divided randomly into two groups: one group received regular treatment, while the other group was treated with Carvedilol on the basis of regular treatment. All the patients were followed up for at least six months. Left ventricular ejection fraction(LVEF), Tei index, left ventricular internal diameter at end-diastole(LVIDd), interventricular septal thickness at end-diastole (IVSd), left ventricular posterior wall thickness at end-diastole(LVPWd), and isovolumic contraction time(ICT), isovolumic relaxation time (IRT), ejection time(ET) of left ventricle were measured by echocardiography. Results: Compared with pre-treatment, LVIDd, ICT, IRT and Tei index were significantly decreased and IVSd, LVPWd, LVEF, ET were significantly increased after treatment in both regular treatment group and Carvedilol treatment group. After treatment of six months, LVEF and ET in Carvedilol treatment group were significantly higher than those in regular treatment group(P<0.05，P<0.01), Tei index, and ICT in Carvedilol treatment group were significantly lower than those in regular treatment group(P<0.01, P<0.05). Conclusions: Carvedilol treatment together with regular treatment is more effective than regular treatment only in improving cardiac function of CHF patients and Tei index is more sensitive than LVEF and NYHA classification in evaluating cardiac function.
2008, Vol. 19 
