Clinical utility of myocardial work assessment in arterial hypertension and cardiovascular diseases

In clinical practice, ventricular ejection fraction (EF) and global longitudinal strain (GLS) are the most often used parameters for evaluating left ventricular systolic function, despite the impact that variable loading conditions have. Alternatively, the myocardial efficiency (ME) of the heart, encompassing cardiac energy formation and dissipation, along with myocardial oxygen consumption (MVO2), is a useful surrogate for assessing myocardial work (MW), a parameter correlated with the pressure-strain loop (PSL), arterial pressure, and cardiac output (CO). This refinement proves especially practical in defining cardiac work across various clinical contexts, including arterial hypertension and heart failure (HF), the primary conditions associated with cardiovascular mortality. In this review, we explore how many invasive and noninvasive studies have shown that MW and consequently ME are correlated with the state of cardiovascular wellbeing and myocardial performance, allowing it to be integrated with other parameters present in clinical practice.