title: [Left ventricular function in patients with chronic heart failure. Practical aspects on echocardiographic timing and structured reports in the out-of-hospital ultrasound laboratory].
abstract: This review addresses some practical aspects of Doppler echocardiography and how to perform it in outpatients with heart failure, in an attempt to make the diagnostic protocols more effective and less expensive for the national healthcare system. This problem comes from the relevant percentage of redundant echocardiographic exams that are irrelevant for the appropriate clinical management. The most important echocardiographic indices to be used for making diagnosis of left ventricular systolic and/or diastolic dysfunction are also discussed. In order to warrant the best quality of the healthcare system, correct timing, performance and structured reports are encouraged even in out-of-hospital echocardiography laboratories, driven by solid scientific knowledge and international guidelines.
authors: Dipartimento Clinico-Sperimentale di Medicina e Farmacologia, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria, Via Consolare Valeria, 98125 Messina. cdegregorio@unime.it
authors: Cesare
authors: C
authors: de Gregorio
authors: Antonio Vittorio
authors: AV
authors: Panno