Inhalation of amyl nitrite and the measurement of left ventricular outflowvelocity: Studies in normal, young adults

Amyl nitrite inhalation is useful in the identification, of patients with p rovocable left ventricular (LV) outflow tract obstruction. However, there a re no prospective studies that assess the normal change in. LV outflow velo city during this intervention. Eighteen. normal subjects (mean age, 34 +/- 5 years; 9 men and 9 women) inhaled amyl nitrite during measurement of LV o utflow velocity. Peak velocity increased from 109 +/- 16 cm/s to 144 +/- 24 cm/s (P < 0.001). There were no significant gender differences in velocity measurements at baseline or at peak. Our study provides prospective data t hat may be useful when evaluating young adults for LV outflow tract obstruc tion with Doppler echocardiography during amyl nitrite inhalation.