[Suitability and performance of echocardiogram in primary care]

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Echocardiographic Assessment Using Subxiphoid-Only Examination for Hypotensive Patients
08:45

Echocardiographic Assessment Using Subxiphoid-Only Examination for Hypotensive Patients

Published on: April 18, 2025

Mariano de la Figuera1, Jordi Fernández, María Isabel Fernández

  • 1Medicina de Familia, Centro de Atención Primaria Sardenya, Barcelona, España.

Atencion Primaria
|September 23, 2011
PubMed

Insights

Echocardiograms (ECC) are highly appropriate when used by General Practitioners (GP) for diagnosing heart conditions. These diagnostic tests significantly influence clinical decisions and should be more accessible to GPs.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiology
  • Primary Care Medicine
  • Diagnostic Imaging

Background:

  • Echocardiograms (ECC) offer significant benefits for prevalent conditions like hypertension and heart failure.
  • Availability of ECC to Spanish General Practitioners (GPs) is currently limited.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To assess the clinical appropriateness of ECC application by GPs.
  • To evaluate the performance and impact of ECC on diagnostic and therapeutic decisions.

Main Methods:

  • A descriptive, cross-sectional, retrospective, multicentre study was conducted.
  • Data from 684 adult patients undergoing ECC in primary care settings were analyzed.
  • Medical records and ECC reports were reviewed to evaluate socio-demographic variables, clinical data, and diagnostic performance.

Main Results:

  • 84% of ECCs were deemed appropriate, with variations based on age, teaching status of health centers, comorbidity, and abnormal ECC findings.
  • A disease was identified in 80% of ECCs, with common findings including valvular heart disease (61.6%), left ventricular hypertrophy (43%), and diastolic dysfunction (28.2%).
  • ECC results influenced clinical decisions in 35.2% of cases, leading to cardiology referrals (17.1%), treatment changes (10.5%), or further investigations (9.6%).

Conclusions:

  • The application of ECC by GPs is highly appropriate.
  • ECC findings significantly guide clinical decision-making in a substantial number of cases.
  • Increased accessibility of ECC for all GPs is recommended.
Abstract

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