[Determination of pulmonary hypertension using echocardiography in clinical practice]

In 1992 the author assessed in 130 patients the acceleration time by means of spectral analysis of the Doppler signal in the effluent tract of the right ventricle. In 12 patients this value was compared with direct assessment of the median pressure in the pulmonary artery during catheterization of the heart. The author revealed a relatively satisfactory correlation between these two methods and presents his own regression equation: median pressure in the pulmonary artery (mm Hg) = 73.296--0.426 acceleration time (msec), correlation coefficient--0.86. This equation can be used in practice. The above mentioned examination must be properly performed, but even then it has significant limitations, which must be respected in practice and this method must therefore be considered semiquantitative rather than quantitative. It is probable that progressive echocardiographic functional diagnosis will make possible further progress in the assessment of the type of pulmonary hypertension and resistance in the lesser circulation.