An apparatus for monitoring a function of the heart of a person, including a pre-ejection period measuring device which non-invasively measures a pre-ejection period, an ejection-period measuring device which non-invasively measures an ejection period, an aorta-pressure estimating device for estimating blood pressure values in the aorta, a telediastolic-aorta-pressure determining device for determining, based on the estimated aorta blood pressure values, a telediastolic blood pressure in the aorta at a telediastolic time of the heart, a telesystolic-aorta-pressure determining device for determining, based on the estimated aorta blood pressure values, a telesystolic blood pressure in the aorta at a telesystolic time of the heart, an stroke-volume measuring device which non-invasively measures a stroke volume of the left ventricle, and a telesystolic-elastance determining device for determining, based on the measured pre-ejection period, ejection period, and stroke volume and the determined aorta telediastolic and telesystolic blood pressure values, a telesystolic elastance of the left ventricle, according a predetermined relationship between (A) left-ventricle telesystolic elastance and (B) (b1) pre-ejection period, (b2) ejection period, (b3) aorta telediastolic blood pressure, (b4) aorta telesystolic blood pressure, and (b5) stroke volume.
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