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08:37
Echocardiographic Assessment Using Subxiphoid-Only Examination for Hypotensive Patients
Published on: April 18, 2025
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Reported Physical Symptoms During Screening Echocardiography Are Not Associated With Presence of Suspected
Mohammad Reza Movahed1, Ashkan Bahrami2, Sharon Bates3
1From the Department of Medicine, University of Arizona Sarver Heart Center, Tucson, AZ.
Critical Pathways in Cardiology
|April 10, 2024
Summary
Sudden cardiac death can be the first sign of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). This study found no association between physical symptoms and suspected HCM in 4120 screened individuals.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Genetics
- Preventive Medicine
Background:
- Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) can be asymptomatic, with sudden death as its initial presentation.
- Early detection of HCM is crucial for preventing sudden cardiac events.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between physical symptoms and the presence of suspected HCM.
- To determine if common symptoms correlate with HCM diagnosis in a screening population.
Main Methods:
- Echocardiographic screening was conducted on 4120 individuals aged 4-79.
- Suspected HCM was defined as left ventricular wall thickness ≥15 mm.
- Symptom prevalence was compared between participants with and without suspected HCM.
Main Results:
- The prevalence of suspected HCM was 1.1% in the study cohort.
- No significant association was found between physical symptoms (chest pain, palpitations, shortness of breath, lightheadedness, ankle swelling, dizziness) and suspected HCM.
- Symptom rates in HCM participants were comparable to the control group.
Conclusions:
- Screening echocardiography revealed no higher prevalence of physical symptoms in individuals with suspected HCM.
- Physical symptoms alone are not reliable indicators for identifying HCM in a screening setting.
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