Echocardiographic recognition of Chagas' disease and endomyocardial fibrosis.
Chagas' heart disease and endomyocardial fibrosis are common medical conditions in Central and South America but are only rarely encountered in North America. In the small number of patients who have these conditions, recognition is frustrating because of a lack of familiarity with their characteristic echocardiographic pattern. In Chagas' heart disease a left ventricular apical aneurysm is characteristic, but in contrast to coronary artery disease, septal involvement is minimal. In endomyocardial fibrosis apical obliteration with a small inwardly moving left ventricular cavity, large atria, and atrioventricular valvular insufficiency are typical features. It is the aim of this article to present the characteristic echocardiographic findings with these conditions and thereby facilitate the recognition when they appear in nonendemic areas.
Acquatella
H
H
Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco 94143-0214.
Schiller
N B
NB
D000328:Adult; D002598:Chagas Cardiomyopathy / Q000175:diagnosis*; D004452:Echocardiography; D004719:Endomyocardial Fibrosis / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged