[Exercise echocardiography in coronary disease].

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Diagnostic Imaging
• Exercise Physiology

Background:

• Coronary artery disease diagnosis relies on evaluating myocardial ischemia.
• Conventional ergometric tests have limitations in assessing regional contractile function.
• Advancements in digital technology have enabled new diagnostic approaches.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce and evaluate exercise echocardiography as a novel method for investigating coronary artery disease.
• To highlight the advantages of exercise echocardiography over conventional tests.
• To discuss the role of digital technologies in improving the accuracy of this technique.

Main Methods:

• Exercise echocardiography assesses regional contractile function in response to increased oxygen demand during exercise.
• It analyzes endocardial displacement and parietal thickening in real time.
• Data comparison between rest and peak exercise states is facilitated by digital technologies.

Main Results:

• Exercise echocardiography provides a more precise diagnosis of myocardial ischemia compared to conventional ergometric tests.
• The technique is well-accepted by patients when combined with non-invasive ergometric testing.
• It offers a cost-effective, non-invasive alternative for cardiac assessment.

Conclusions:

• Exercise echocardiography is a promising, accurate, and well-tolerated method for diagnosing coronary artery disease.
• Further training and evaluation are necessary for widespread clinical adoption and treatment decisions.
• Despite ongoing evaluation, key clinical indications for this technique are emerging.