What it is
Myocardial contractility describes how strongly the heart muscle contracts for a given filling state.[1,2]
Why it matters
Contractility changes how much blood the ventricle ejects from the blood it has already received.[1]
Root causes of abnormal values
What it affects
- It links myocardial function, stroke volume, cardiac output, perfusion, and heart-failure context.[1]
Interpretation traps
- Contractility cannot be judged from how strong a pulse feels without clinical context.[1]