Usefulness of echocardiography in the assessment of internal medicine inpatients. An analysis according to ACC/AHA guidelines.
BACKGROUND
We aimed to analyze the importance of echocardiography in our Internal Medicine Institute. We think that this technique could have a large impact in the evaluation of the internistic inpatient who is usually affected by multiple pathological problems.


METHODS
Analysis was performed according to the ACC/AHA guidelines for the application of echocardiography. The data of 1211 consecutive inpatients were analyzed.


RESULTS
Sixty-three per cent of all the patients had two or more associated diseases. Moreover, patients in whom echocardiography could be considered appropriate or useful were 67%. Our results point out that echocardiographic examination is generally a technique of great importance for the evaluation of internistic inpatients.


CONCLUSIONS
This study could represent a useful background for a cost/benefit analysis that should evaluate the utility of a specifically-dedicated echocardiographic laboratory for optimal, autonomous management of internal medicine inpatients.
Corrao
S
S
Institute of Internal Medicine, University of Palermo, Italy. corras@intsv.com
Arnone
S
S
Amato
V
V
Licata
A
A
Amico
G
G
Licata
G
G
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D004452:Echocardiography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007297:Inpatients; D007388:Internal Medicine / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies