Is cardiac catheterization necessary in the era of echocardiography? Cost-effective approach combining echocardiography and cardiac catheterization.
Definitive evaluation of cardiovascular disease is traditionally accomplished by cardiac catheterization. Advances in transthoracic and transesophageal Doppler echocardiography provides an accurate and cost-effective approach when compared to cardiac catheterization. Recent data suggests that for most adult patients with aortic or mitral valve disease, Doppler echocardiographic data enables the clinician to make the same decision reached with catheterization data. Echo and Doppler studies are useful in guiding certain therapeutic interventional procedures, and in the diagnosis of aortic dissection, mechanical complications of myocardial infarction, and in identifying aortic atheromas as a potential source of embolism. Future research will need to demonstrate that not only is echocardiography cost-effective, but that it will change the outcome of the patient.
University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Saint Francis Hospital and Medical Center, Hoffman Heart Institute of Connecticut, Hartford 06105, USA.
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D000784:Aortic Dissection / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000191:economics / Q000628:therapy; D001014:Aortic Aneurysm / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000191:economics / Q000628:therapy; D006328:Cardiac Catheterization / Q000191:economics* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D004452:Echocardiography / Q000191:economics* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D017548:Echocardiography, Transesophageal / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006349:Heart Valve Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000191:economics / Q000628:therapy; D006350:Heart Valve Prosthesis; D006801:Humans; D017202:Myocardial Ischemia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000191:economics / Q000628:therapy; D011475:Prosthesis Failure; D015642:Radiology, Interventional / Q000191:economics