Related Experiment Videos
Echocardiographic determination of myocardial mass: a review
1Department of Medicine, University of Chicago Hospitals, Illinois 60637.
Insights
Hypertension patients with increased left ventricular mass face higher cardiovascular risks. Echocardiography accurately measures left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH), aiding in prognosis and treatment assessment for heart conditions.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Medical Imaging
Background:
- Hypertension is linked to increased left ventricular wall mass.
- Elevated left ventricular mass elevates cardiovascular complication risk.
Purpose of the Study:
- To highlight the prognostic value of left ventricular mass.
- To emphasize echocardiography's role in assessing left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH).
Main Methods:
- Echocardiography for myocardial mass determination.
- Comparison with electrocardiographic and chest X-ray methods.
Main Results:
- Echocardiographic determination of myocardial mass is more sensitive for LVH detection than other methods.
- Two-dimensional echocardiography accurately assesses left ventricular muscle mass.
Conclusions:
- Left ventricular mass estimation is crucial for cardiovascular risk assessment in hypertensive patients.
- Echocardiography provides a sensitive tool for evaluating LVH and guiding therapy.
Abstract:
Studies have shown that hypertensive patients with increased left ventricular wall mass are at higher risk for cardiovascular complications than are patients with normal left ventricular wall mass. Echocardiographic determination of myocardial mass is a more sensitive predictor of left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) than are electrocardiographic or chest X-ray studies. Two-dimensional echocardiographic methods used to determine left ventricular mass have been shown to be a sensitive indicator of assessing left ventricular muscle mass. Left ventricular mass estimates can be used to determine prognosis and cardiovascular risk and to assess the efficacy of therapy in a number of different heart diseases in which LVH is present.