title: Two-dimensional and Doppler echocardiographic evaluation of patients presenting at Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospitals Complex, Ile-Ife, Nigeria: a prospective study of 2501 subjects.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Echocardiography remains a key noninvasive cardiac investigative tool in the management of patients, especially in a developing economy like Nigeria. In this study, we investigated the indications for transthoracic echocardiography and spectrum of cardiac disease found in patients referred to our cardiac unit for echocardiography.
  
  
  METHODS
  A prospective two-dimensional, pulsed, continuous, and color-flow Doppler echocardiographic evaluation was done using the transthoracic approach in 2501 patients over an eight-year period. Univariate data analysis was performed for mean age, gender, clinical indications, and diagnoses.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The subject age range was less than 12 months to 97 years (mean 52.39 years). There were 1352 (54.06%) males and 1149 (45.94%) females. The most common indication for echocardiography was hypertension (52.1%) followed by congestive cardiac failure (13.9%). Others were for screening (6.1%), arrhythmias (5%), cerebrovascular disease (5%), chest pain (3.3%), chronic kidney disease (3.2%), congenital heart disease (2.6%), cardiomyopathy (1.8%), rheumatic heart disease (1.7%), diabetes mellitus (1.3%), thyrocardiac disease (1.2%), ischemic heart disease (1.2%), and pericardial disease (1.1%). The echocardiographic diagnosis was hypertensive heart disease in 59.4% of subjects and normal in 14.1%. Other echocardiographic diagnoses included rheumatic heart disease (3.1%), congenital heart disease (2.1%), cardiomyopathy (1.7%), pericardial disease (1.1%), and ischemic heart disease (0.1%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Hypertension and its cardiac complications is the most common echocardiographic indication and diagnosis at our unit.
authors.affiliation: Cardiology Unit, Department of Medicine, Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospitals Complex, Ile-Ife, Osun State.
authors.forename: Rasaaq Ayodele
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Adebayo
authors.forename: Patience Olayinka
authors.initials: PO
authors.lastname: Akinwusi
authors.forename: Michael Olabode
authors.initials: MO
authors.lastname: Balogun
authors.forename: Anthony Olubunmi
authors.initials: AO
authors.lastname: Akintomide
authors.forename: Victor Oladeji
authors.initials: VO
authors.lastname: Adeyeye
authors.forename: Olugbenga Olusola
authors.initials: OO
authors.lastname: Abiodun
authors.forename: Luqman Adeleke
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Bisiriyu
authors.forename: Suraj Adefabi
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Ogunyemi
authors.forename: Ebenezer Adekunle
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Ajayi
authors.forename: Olufemi Eyitayo
authors.initials: OE
authors.lastname: Ajayi
authors.forename: Adebayo Tolulope
authors.initials: AT
authors.lastname: Oyedeji
keywords: Nigeria; cardiac diseases; diagnosis; echocardiography; indications; prospective