[Advances in echocardiography on cardiac resynchronization therapy in patients with heart failure].
Cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) has became an alternative treatment in patients with severe medically refractory heart failure in recent years. Several large studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of CRT, which can improve the atrioventricular, interventricular, and intraventricular dyssynchronies. Echocardiography can be used to evaluate cardiac mechanical synchrony by means of M-mode, pulse Doppler, tissue Doppler, 3D, and other techniques, and can therefore be used to screen patients, select lead location, optimize pacemaker parameters, and follow up patients who have undergone CRT. This article reviews the strength and shortcomings of some commonly used echocardiographic techniques when they are applied in patients with heart failure.
Ren
Wei-Dong
WD
Cardiac Function Department, First Affiliated Hospital, China Medical University, Shenyang 110001, China. renweidong01@yahoo.com.cn
Li
Nan
N
D002304:Cardiac Pacing, Artificial; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D014463:Ultrasonography