title: Stress echo for evaluation of valvular heart disease.
abstract: Resting echocardiography is the most important tool for diagnosing valvular heart disease. However, treatment planning in valvular heart diseases may require additional information in some patients, particularly asymptomatic patients with severe valve disease or symptomatic patients with moderate disease. Stress echocardiography provides invaluable information in these situations and aids decision making. Stress echocardiography is performed using either physical stress or dobutamine stress and various valve parameters are monitored during the stress. Further, the ventricular performance, which is an important determinant of outcome in valve disease is also closely monitored during stress which helps immensely in planning the intervention. Lastly, possibility of associated coronary artery disease can also be evaluated, especially in the elderly. This article discusses the role of stress evaluation in assessment of valve disease in the commonly encountered clinical situations.
authors.affiliation: Professor and HOD Cardiology, Kempegowda Institute of Medical Sciences, Bangalore, India. Electronic address: styavagal@yahoo.co.in.
authors.forename: S T
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Yavagal
authors.affiliation: Director, Cardiac Cath Lab, Spandan Heart Institute and Research Center, Dhantoli, Nagpur, India.
authors.forename: Niteen
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Deshpande
authors.affiliation: Senior Registrar Cardiology, Spandan Heart Institute and Research Center, Dhantoli, Nagpur, India.
authors.forename: Parag
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Admane
mesh_terms: D001022:Aortic Valve Insufficiency / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology; D001024:Aortic Valve Stenosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology; D025401:Echocardiography, Stress / Q000379:methods*; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005260:Female; D006349:Heart Valve Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008946:Mitral Valve Stenosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D018487:Ventricular Dysfunction, Left / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology