Doppler diagnosis of valvular aortic stenosis in patients over 60 years of age.
Twenty-five consecutive elderly patients with suspected aortic stenosis underwent continuous-wave Doppler echocardiography followed by cardiac catheterization. Doppler-derived calculations of peak and mean aortic valve gradients were compared with catheterization-derived values of peak-to-peak, peak and mean gradients. The best correlation was found between Doppler- and catheterization-derived mean gradients (r = 0.89). A Doppler-derived measure of the timing of peak aortic flow velocity (modified time-to-peak velocity/modified left ventricular ejection time) successfully separated those with gradients above or below 50 mm Hg and also helped to avoid over- or underestimation of aortic valve gradients by Doppler.
D000368:Aged; D001024:Aortic Valve Stenosis / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006328:Cardiac Catheterization; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013599:Systole; D013997:Time Factors; D014463:Ultrasonography / Q000592:standards*