Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 19, 2026

Echocardiographic Assessment Using Subxiphoid-Only Examination for Hypotensive Patients
Published on: April 18, 2025
Clinical relevance of echocardiography in acute severe dyspnea
Marc Feissel1, Julien Maizel, Georges Robles
1Unité de Réanimation Polyvalente, Centre Hospitalier de Belfort-Montbéliard, Site de Belfort, Belfort, France.
Background:
The aim of this study was to assess the most relevant echocardiographic parameter for the clinical diagnosis of acute dyspnea due to left-heart dysfunction.
Methods:
Transthoracic echocardiography was performed in 88 patients in sinus rhythm admitted for respiratory distress. Two experts determined the cause of dyspnea as cardiogenic (26 patients) or noncardiogenic (62 patients).
Results:
The feasibility was 100% for the E/A ratio and the E/E deceleration time (EDT) ratio but 97%, 89%, and 85% for the E/Ea ratio, left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), and the E/propagation velocity (Vp) ratio, respectively. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve for E/EDT (0.947 +/- 0.035) was statistically significantly greater than that for E/A (0.753 +/- 0.068) (P = .004). The areas under the curves for all other parameters were not statistically significantly different. In the subpopulation of patients with LVEFs > 45%, the area under the curve for LVEF was significantly smaller than those for E/Ea, E/EDT, and E/Vp.
Conclusion:
E/EDT, E/Ea, and E/Vp appear equally useful to distinguish acute dyspnea due to left-heart dysfunction from that of pulmonary origin. However, E/EDT and E/Ea can be considered the best indices with regard to feasibility.
Related Concept Videos
Acute Coronary Syndrome III: Diagnostic Studies
Imaging Studies for Cardiovascular System I:Echocardiography
Indications: Echocardiography is utilized to diagnose heart failure, valve disorders, and myocardial infarction. It also assesses cardiac structures' size, shape, and motion, evaluates...
Rheumatic Heart Disease II: Clinical Manifestations and Diagnostic Studies
Imaging Studies for Cardiovascular System II:Types of Echocardiography
Types of Echocardiography
Transthoracic Echocardiography (TTE)
TTE is the most common type of echocardiogram which involves placing a transducer on the patient's chest, emitting sound waves to create heart images. TTE is invaluable for evaluating the heart's size, structure, and motion, making it particularly useful for diagnosing...
Aortic Regurgitation II: Clinical Features and Diagnostic Tests
Dysrhythmias V: Evaluating Dysrhythmias