The Evaluation of the Heart Failure Patient by Echocardiography:Time to go beyond the Ejection Fraction

(整期优先)网络出版时间:2015-01-18
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Heartfailureisacomplexclinicalsyndromethatcanresultfromanystructuralorfunctionalcardiacdisorderthatimpairstheabilityoftheventricletofillwithorejectblood.Theechocardiogramisthesinglemostperformedandusefulstudyinthesepatients.Thisarticlereviewstheroleoftheechocardiogramintheevaluationoftheheartfailurepatient,withoutfocusingontheleftventricle.Thediscussionincludestheuseoftheechocardiogramintheassessmentoftherightventricleanddiastolicfunctionandindetectinghemodynamicandmorphologicchangesinheartfailureoveraperiodoftime.Inaddition,wehighlightsomeofthelimitationsofechocardiographyintheassessmentofthesepatients.