Few studies evaluated the cardiac function in cirrhotic patients, using only conventional echocardiography. However, this allows only the late diagnosis of cardiac dysfunction, which might be already irreversible. Consequently, description of new parameters, which could detect early dysfunction, becomes essential. There is no study designed to estimate intrinsic myocardial properties in cirrhosis. New methods (Tissue Doppler and Speckle-tracking echocardiography) could be essential to detect early cardiac dysfunction. The exact role of biological markers in the diagnosis of cardiac dysfunction remains to be clarified. Impaired cardiac function coupled with augmented vascular function could be the model for cirrhotic patients. This type of ventriculo-arterial interaction has never been described.