Which characteristic would NOT be observed in a normal diastolic function during echocardiography?

In normal diastolic function, the heart's ability to relax and fill with blood is integral to maintaining efficient blood flow. The correct answer indicates that increased left atrial pressure would not be observed in a healthy diastolic function.

In a normal scenario, the mitral inflow pattern reflects adequate filling of the left ventricle, indicating that the pressure gradient between the left atrium and left ventricle is appropriate during diastole. Furthermore, a normal relaxation pattern shows that the heart muscle (specifically the left ventricle) relaxes effectively, allowing for adequate filling with blood. Additionally, age-appropriate velocity patterns in mitral inflow and tissue Doppler assessments indicate that diastolic function is preserved relative to the patient's age, without signs of impairment or dysfunction.

An increased left atrial pressure indicates that the left atrium is under stress, often due to impediments in left ventricular filling or relaxation, which is a hallmark of diastolic dysfunction. Therefore, observing increased left atrial pressure contradicts the characteristics of normal diastolic function, making it the answer that does not align with what one would expect from a healthy echocardiographic assessment of diastolic function.