title: Making an impossible mission possible.
abstract: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is widespread in developing countries. Hypertension is a major contributor of CVD. Left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) is a risk marker in hypertensive populations. Identification of LVH and treatment of high-risk patients can result in more effective use of the limited resources. LVH is diagnosed by echocardiography, often unavailable in developing countries. In Gambia, we used a hand-carried ultrasound (HCU) to examine 1,997 people. Seventeen percent had hypertension; of these, LVH was found in 65%. The battery-powered HCU permits clinicians to detect LVH in areas with limited access to diagnostic equipment, allowing identification of a high-risk hypertensive population.
authors.affiliation: Cardiology Division, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, and School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90048, USA.
authors.forename: Sergio L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Kobal
authors.forename: Lawrence S C
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Czer
authors.forename: Peter C
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Czer
authors.forename: Zhanna
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Feldsher
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hamilton
authors.forename: Robert J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Siegel
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004452:Echocardiography / Q000295:instrumentation; D005869:Ghana / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D017379:Hypertrophy, Left Ventricular / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D007223:Infant; D008403:Mass Screening; D008493:Medical Missions; D008875:Middle Aged