Stress echocardiography for the diagnosis and risk stratification of patients with suspected or known coronary artery disease: a critical appraisal. Supported by the British Society of Echocardiography
- 1Northwick Park Hospital, Harrow, UK
- 2King’s College Hospital, London, UK
- 3John Radcliffe Hospital/Cardiac Clinical Centre, Oxford, UK
- 4St Mary’s Hospital, Paddington, London, UK
- 5Imperial College Faculty of Medicine, National Heart & Lung Institute, Hammersmith Hospital, London, UK
- Correspondence to:
Dr Roxy Senior
Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Northwick Park Hospital, Harrow HA1 3UJ UK, UK; roxy.seniorvirgin.net
- Accepted 11 October 2004
Abstract
Stress echocardiography today has matured into a robust and reliable technique not only for the diagnosis of suspected coronary artery disease (CAD) but also for the accurate risk stratification of patients with suspected and established CAD. This is mainly because of rapid advances in image acquisition, digital display, and the development of harmonic and contrast imaging. Stress echocardiography today is also utilised in patients with heart failure both for assessing the cause of heart failure and determining the extent of hibernating myocardium. With advances in myocardial perfusion imaging, stress echocardiography now allows simultaneous assessment of myocardial function and perfusion. Tissue Doppler imaging allows quantitation of wall motion. Ready availability and reliability makes stress echocardiography a cost effective technique for the assessment of CAD.
