What is increased contractility of the heart referred to as?

Increased contractility of the heart is referred to as inotropism. This term specifically describes the force of contraction of the cardiac muscle during systole. Inotropic agents, which can be positive (increasing contractility) or negative (decreasing contractility), are important in the management of various cardiac conditions, including heart failure.

Understanding inotropism is crucial for nurses working in cardiovascular care, as recognizing whether a patient's heart is responding adequately to treatment in terms of contractility can guide therapy, such as adjusting medications that impact the heart's strength and efficiency during pumping.

The other terms mentioned relate to different aspects of cardiac function: chronotropism refers to the heart rate (the speed of contractions), preload describes the volume of blood in the ventricles at the end of diastole (prior to contraction), and afterload refers to the resistance the heart must overcome to eject blood during systole. Each of these factors plays an essential role in cardiac physiology, but they do not directly address the strength of contraction like inotropism does.