Systems and methods for determining cardiac performance

A method for determining vascular performance of a patient, the method comprising:

• positioning a pump within a heart, the pump being configured to operate at an adjustable pump speed;
• pumping the pump at a first pump speed;
• monitoring a hemodynamic parameter during pumping at the first pump speed;
• identifying a first phase of a first heartbeat of the heart over a first period of time;
• predicting a time when a second phase of a second heartbeat of the heart over a second period of time begins based on the monitored hemodynamic parameter;
• changing the pump speed to a second pump speed at the predicted time during the second phase of the second heartbeat;
• monitoring the hemodynamic parameter during the second phase;
• comparing the monitored hemodynamic parameter during the first phase to the monitored hemodynamic parameter during the second phase to calculate a change in the hemodynamic parameter between the first phase and the second phase;
• and
• computing, based on the change in the hemodynamic parameter between the first phase and the second phase, a metric indicative of vascular performance.