The Importance of the 15-lead Versus 12-lead ECG Recordings in the Diagnosis and Treatment of Right Ventricle and Left Ventricle Posterior and Lateral Wall Acute Myocardial Infarctions.

Introduction: The 12-lead ECG at admission of patients suffering from acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is mandatory for accurate diagnosis and prompt therapeutic measures, mainly reperfusion. It has been shown that recording additional ECG leads may improve the diagnostic accuracy and therefore, the prognosis of selected cases.

Aim: The aim of the study was to assess the usefulness of the 15-lead ECG (12 classic plus 3 posterior leads) in the management of chest pain patients, especially when 12-lead ECG is not diagnostic of AMI.

Assessment of health-related quality of life in a greek symptomatic population with atrial fibrillation: correlation with functional status and echocardiographic indices.

Introduction: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is known to have an unfavorable impact on quality of life. The purpose of this study was to assess the health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in a symptomatic population with AF seeking medical advice in a tertiary hospital, as well as to explore the relationship between HRQOL, functional status, and echocardiographic indices of left ventricular (LV) systolic and diastolic function.

Methods: The study sample consisted of 108 symptomatic patients suffering from AF who presented in the emergency department or were admitted to the cardiology department in an urban Greek tertiary hospital between January 1 and May 31, 2012.

Pocket-size imaging device: effectiveness for ward-based transthoracic studies.

Aims: Pocket-size imaging devices (PSID) are now available; their potential role in a hospital environment has been investigated but still remains undefined.

Methods And Results: We evaluated the effectiveness of PSID in 92 patients referred for bedside transthoracic echocardiogram (TTE). Patients were included where there was a focused clinical question: quantification of left ventricular function (LVF); presence of regional wall motion abnormalities (RWMA); evidence of pericardial effusion, exclusion of significant valve pathology.