What appropriately describes systolic dysfunction?

The contractility of the left ventricle is reduced
The ventricle is dilated
The preload (end diastolic volume) is increased
The ejection fraction is decreased

The contractility of the left ventricle is reduced and the heart cannot pump as well during systole, hence the term systolic dysfunction. The rate of filling of the ventricles during diastole is not slowed, since the filling is not dependent on the ability of the heart to constrict. The filling during DIASTOLE is slowed in DIASTOLIC dysfunction, usually due to a stiffening of the walls of the ventricular chambers, which increases the pressure when the blood enters. The ventricle is dilated as a result of not ejecting the blood that filled the chambers. The preload is increased since the ventricle is dilated and the heart can fill with more blood. The ejection fraction is decreased since the heart fills with more blood, but the ventricle cannot contract enough to eject all the blood.