Pezawas T, et al. - Given the presence of high risk for ventricular arrhythmias in patients with ischemic or dilated cardiomyopathy and decreased left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and in view of the idea that precise grading of diastolic function might enhance risk stratification for arrhythmic death, researchers undertook this study with prospectively registered 120 patients with ischemic, 60 patients with dilated cardiomyopathy, and 30 patients with normal LVEF. They graded diastolic function as normal (N) or dysfunction grade I to III. Arrhythmic death (AD) or resuscitated cardiac arrest (RCA) was considered as the primary outcome parameter. They detected the presence of normal diastolic function, dysfunction grade I, grade II, and grade III in 23 (11%) patients, 107 (51%), 31 (14.8%), and in 49 (23.3%) patients, respectively. Following an average follow-up of 7.0 ± 2.6 years, they noted AD or RCA in 28 (13.3%) and 33 (15.7%) patients, respectively. In this study, a high risk for AD or RCA was reported in relation to diastolic dysfunction, this was true irrespective of whether LVEF was ≤ 35% or > 35%. Improved risk stratification for AD might be afforded by diastolic function grading.