Echocardiography 2020: Opportunities and Challenges
In this Editors’ Page , I would like to share several experiences that I had quite recently, during the American Society of Echocardiography (ASE) Annual Scientific Sessions (held earlier this…
How Should Echocardiography Be Used in CRT Optimization?
Despite the established clinical and survival benefits of cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) in advanced heart failure, 20% to 30% of patients in randomized trials have been “nonresponders.” The definition of…
Biventricular Pacemaker Optimization Guided by Comprehensive Echocardiography—Preliminary Observations Regarding the Effects on Systolic and Diastolic Ventricular Function and Third Heart Sound
Background Doppler echocardiography of mitral inflow or aortic outflow or both has been validated and advocated to guide biventricular (Biv) pacemaker optimization. A comprehensive and tailored Doppler echocardiographic evaluation may…
Exercise-Induced Left Ventricular Systolic Dysfunction in Women Heterozygous for Dystrophinopathy
Background Mutations in the X-linked gene encoding dystrophin cause skeletal and cardiac muscle diseases in men. Female “carriers” also can develop overt disease. The purpose of this study was to…
Timing and Magnitude of Regional Right Ventricular Function: A Speckle Tracking-Derived Strain Study of Normal Subjects and Patients with Right Ventricular Dysfunction
Background The aim of this study was to evaluate the timing and magnitude of global and regional right ventricular (RV) function by means of speckle tracking–derived strain in normal subjects…
Identifying Abnormalities of Left Ventricular Systolic Function in Asymptomatic “Carriers” of Dystrophin Mutations: Getting Better…but Not There Yet
Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is an X-linked recessive myopathy that occurs in 1 in 3500 live-born male infants. DMD results from a mutation in chromosome Xp21.1, leading to a deficiency…
Myocardial Contrast Echocardiography Versus Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography for Assessment of Hibernating Myocardium in Ischemic Cardiomyopathy: Preliminary Qualitative and Quantitative Results
Background Single photon-emission computed tomography (SPECT) is widely used for the assessment of hibernating myocardium (HM). The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that myocardial contrast echocardiography…
High Prevalence of Ultrasound Detected Carotid Atherosclerosis in Subjects with Low Framingham Risk Score: Potential Implications for Screening for Subclinical Atherosclerosis
Background The cardiovascular (CV) risk assigned by the Framingham risk score (FRS) misses many subjects destined for CV events. Coronary artery calcification (CAC) as measured by computed tomography and carotid…
Prognostic Implications of Stress Echocardiography and Impact on Patient Outcomes: An Effective Gatekeeper for Coronary Angiography and Revascularization
Background Stress echocardiography is an established technique for diagnosis, risk stratification, and prognosis in patients with known or suspected coronary artery disease. The ability of stress echocardiography to predict clinical…
Carotid Ultrasound Identifies High Risk Subclinical Atherosclerosis in Adults with Low Framingham Risk Scores
Background Worldwide, cardiovascular (CV) disease remains the most common cause of morbidity and mortality. Although effective in predicting CV risk in select populations, the Framingham risk score (FRS) fails to…
