Use of Echocardiography in Patients with Congestive Heart Failure.
Echocardiography is used widely to evaluate patients presenting with congestive heart failure (CHF). Because of its unique ability to evaluate left ventricular (LV) size and geometry, LV systolic and diastolic function, right ventricular size and function, heart valves, pericardium, and congenital abnormalities, echocardiography is valuable in establishing a specific cardiac diagnosis, guiding therapy, and assessing prognosis in CHF. Stress echocardiography can be useful in diagnosing underlying coronary artery disease or myocardial viability. Newer techniques such as contrast echocardiography and 3D reconstruction can improve the ability of echocardiography to accurately provide quantitative assessments of chamber sizes, geometry, and function. This review discusses the strengths and limitations of echocardiography in patients with CHF.
Parrish
DL
University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas.
Grayburn
PA