Ultrasonography in Heart Failure: A Story that Matters

Current Problems in Cardiology
Chiara MozziniMaurizio Soresi

Abstract

Heart failure (HF) is a clinical syndrome caused by structural and/or functional cardiac abnormalities, resulting in a reduced cardiac output and/or elevated intracardiac pressures at rest or during stress. It is the leading cause of hospitalization in Internal Medicine departments. This article aims at reviewing evidence of the importance of ultrasound in HF both for hospitalized patients and in the follow-up. Ultrasound may be used as a recovery monitoring instrument at the bedside and also as a global cardiovascular assessment tool for these patients. HF represents an exciting opportunity to create an integrative ultrasound approach in Internal Medicine and/or Geriatric departments. The authors plan a five-step ultrasound examination to evaluate and monitor HF patients during hospitalization and follow-up. They call this examination: the "ABCDE" score. It includes the evaluations of A, the ankle-brachial index, B, the B-lines, C, the carotid intima media thickness, D, the diameter of the abdominal aorta and of the inferior cava vein and E, the echocardiographic assessment of the ejection fraction. This score may represent an integrative ultrasound approach in Internal Medicine and/or Geriatric departments.

Associated Clinical Trials

Citations


❮ Previous
Next ❯

Related Concepts

Related Feeds

Birth Defects

Birth defects encompass structural and functional alterations that occur during embryonic or fetal development and are present since birth. The cause may be genetic, environmental or unknown and can result in physical and/or mental impairment. Here is the latest research on birth defects.

Related Papers

Ultrasound in Obstetrics & Gynecology : the Official Journal of the International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology
R OrabonaT Frusca
Journal of the American Society of Echocardiography : Official Publication of the American Society of Echocardiography
Vijay Nambi
The American Journal of Medicine
Michael GhannamPaul M Grossman
© 2022 Meta ULC. All rights reserved