title: Carotid sinus massage in the echocardiography laboratory.
abstract: Proper interpretation of the spectral Doppler signal and elucidation of the underlying hemodynamics can at times be problematic due to confounding factors, one of them being a rapid heart rate. In this article, we discuss the use of carotid sinus massage (CSM) in the echocardiography laboratory as a maneuver to reduce the resting heart rate and thus render the transmitral Doppler signal more amenable to analysis. We provide examples of the value of the CSM in the assessment of left ventricular filling pressure.
authors.affiliation: King Faisal Specialist Hospital & Research Center, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Bahaa M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Fadel
authors.forename: Nader
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Alasousi
authors.forename: Hatem
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Bakarman
authors.forename: Amin
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Almardini
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Di Salvo
authors.forename: Odd
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Bech-Hanssen
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D002346:Carotid Sinus / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D015150:Echocardiography, Doppler / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006336:Heart Massage / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D007089:Image Enhancement / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D010173:Palpation / Q000379:methods*; D018487:Ventricular Dysfunction, Left / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*
keywords: Doppler echocardiography; carotid artery; diastolic dysfunction; tissue Doppler imaging