title: Novel strategies for the detection of systolic and diastolic heart failure.
abstract: The incidence and prevalence of dyspnea increases with age. Frequently, for the general practitioner with his limited diagnostic facilities, it is impossible to separate dyspnea from cardiac causes and non-cardiac causes. Without cardiac imaging it is also impossible to separate systolic dysfunction from diastolic dysfunction. After a thorough physical examination, initial screening of systolic and diastolic heart failure can be done by measurement of plasma NT-pro BNP or plasma BNP. Additionally a Chest X-Ray or ECG can be performed. To improve diagnostic performance an open access echocardiographic service can be initiated. Recent studies showed, that open access echocardiography can easily detect systolic and diastolic dysfunction in the community and can separate cardiac from non-cardiac dyspnea.
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Cardiology, Atrium Medical Centre Parkstad.
authors.forename: Cara Lodewijks-Vd
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Bolt
authors.forename: Leo
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Baur
authors.forename: Jelle
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Stoffers
authors.forename: Timo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Lenderink
authors.forename: Ron
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Winkens