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Assessment of Cardiac Morphological and Functional Changes in Mouse Model of Transverse Aortic Constriction by Echocardiographic Imaging
09:05

Assessment of Cardiac Morphological and Functional Changes in Mouse Model of Transverse Aortic Constriction by Echocardiographic Imaging

Published on: June 21, 2016

Role of echocardiography in aortic atherosclerotic disease and stroke

T Molisse1, P A Tunick, I Kronzon

  • 1Leon Charney Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA.

Minerva Cardioangiologica
|March 8, 2007
PubMed

Insights

Severe aortic atherosclerosis poses a high stroke risk, especially with thick plaque. Transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) identifies high-risk patients, guiding stroke prevention strategies.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiovascular Medicine
  • Neurology
  • Vascular Surgery

Background:

  • Severe aortic atherosclerosis is a significant risk factor for stroke.
  • Embolic events from aortic plaque can occur spontaneously or during cardiovascular procedures.
  • Atherosclerotic plaque thickness of = or >4 mm indicates the highest risk.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To highlight the stroke risk associated with severe aortic atherosclerosis.
  • To emphasize the role of Transesophageal Echocardiography (TEE) in identifying high-risk patients.
  • To discuss management strategies and procedural considerations for patients with aortic plaque.

Main Methods:

  • Review of current literature on aortic atherosclerosis and stroke risk.
  • Emphasis on Transesophageal Echocardiography (TEE) for plaque characterization and thrombus detection.
  • Analysis of risk-benefit considerations for cardiovascular procedures in affected patients.

Main Results:

  • Aortic plaque thickness = or >4 mm is associated with the highest embolic risk.
  • No definitive medical therapy currently exists to reduce embolic risk from aortic plaque.
  • Retrospective data suggest statins may help prevent stroke in these patients.

Conclusions:

  • Transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) is crucial for identifying patients with severe aortic atherosclerosis at high risk for stroke.
  • Management includes antiplatelet therapy, smoking cessation, and control of diabetes and hypertension.
  • Careful consideration of procedural risks (CABG, angiography) and alternative approaches is necessary for patients with severe aortic plaque.

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