Doppler echocardiographic findings in patients with right ventricular infarction

Doppler Echocardiographic Findings in Patients with Right Ventricular Infarction Transthoracic Doppler echocardiography was performed in 96 consecutive patients with right ventricular infarction treated with thrombolysis. The bedside examination was performed before and 2 to 3 hours after thrombolytic therapy, and a subsequent follow-up examination was scheduled for 7 days later. The in-hospital and long-term course was determined for all patients. Significant differences were found in echocardiographic findings after the thrombolytic therapy: the right ventricular diameter decreased from 28.8 mm+/-5.8 to 22.5 mm +/- 4.3 (P < 0.001), tricuspid regurgitant flow peak velocity was reduced from 2.9 m/s +/- 0.3 to 2.0 m/s +/- 0.5 (P < 0.001). The analysis of interatrial septal motion and interventricular septal motion showed a normalization in many patients. Major complications and deaths were more frequent in patients with echocardiographic findings of pulmonary hypertension persisting after thrombolytic therapy. Echocardiographic findings involving the right side of the heart are frequent in patients with right ventricular infarction. The presence of a severe tricuspid regurgitation and of an abnormal septal motion in patients with acute myocardial infarction indicates involvement of the right ventricle.