Rapid assessment of left ventricular systolic function in a pacemaker clinic using a hand-carried ultrasound device.

Objective: Pacemaker recipients with left ventricular (LV) dysfunction are potential candidates for upgrades to implantable defibrillators or cardiac resynchronization devices. This study sought to determine if a hand-carried ultrasound (HCU) device could be used for rapid, inexpensive identification of LV dysfunction in a busy pacemaker clinic.

Materials And Methods: Eighty patients undergoing routine pacemaker check were enrolled.