The clinical evaluation of coronary artery disease (CAD) is an individualized, winding road to be followed every day in cardiology practice. It is based on the need for an appropriate diagnosis, considering the optimization of different conducts, with the primary goal of improving patients’ quality of life and, at times, avoiding hard endpoints, such as infarction and death.   […]

Abstract The need to examine the heart using a three-dimensional (3D) tool is not new. This complex and dynamic organ has always required 3D and real-time understanding. Without this feature, the examiner has to transform two-dimensional images to understand its volume, which requires complex knowledge and approximation interactions. Echocardiography was invented three decades ago, and its improvements resulted in commercial products at the beginning of the century. Some studies demonstrate 3D equivalence with gains in handling the necessary time. We […]

Abstract Historically, the role of exercise stress echocardiography in the management of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy has been neglected in clinical practice according to the analysis of the 2002 Guidelines of the American College of Cardiology/ American Heart Association, which recommended caution use of this methodology in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy due to the risk of both cardiac arrhythmia and hemodynamic collapse on exertion. Exercise stress testing in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is currently part of the routine assessment of symptomatic patients […]

Abstract Background Adverse effects and inconclusive results may occur on dobutamine stress echocardiography. Objective To assess the safety and feasibility of dobutamine stress echocardiography in a large general population. Methods A total of 10,006 dobutamine stress echocardiographies were performed between July 1996 and September 2007. Dobutamine was administered in four stages (10, 20, 30, and 40 μcg·kg-1·min-1) to research myocardial ischemia starting with 5 μcg·kg-1·min-1 to analyze myocardial viability. Atropine was started according to the protocols used in the period. […]

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Summary Background The evaluation of left ventricular (LV) diastolic dysfunction presents a significant number of indeterminate dysfunctions, especially when ejection fraction (EF) is preserved. Global longitudinal strain (GLS) and systolic strain rate (SSR) and early diastolic strain rate (EDSR) may be useful for reclassifying diagnosed patients. Objective To evaluate, using GLS, SSR and EDSR, patients with diastolic dysfunction, compare with healthy individuals, and determine the additive value of the method. Methods The study included 149 patients (age 62.2 ± 10.6) […]