Recovery of global systolic function after primary angioplasty. Influence of coronary flow velocity reserve measured by transthoracic echocardiography.

Background: Our objective were to know whether coronary flow velocity reserve measured by transthoracic Doppler echocardiography, as marker of microvascular integrity, affects the recovery of global systolic function. Secondly, we intended to define the best cut-off point of coronary flow velocity reserve to predict recovery of global systolic function.

Methods: We studied 57 patients with coronary flow recorded by transthoracic Doppler echocardiography, after suffering a first anterior acute myocardial infarction and undergoing a successful primary percutaneous coronary intervention (TIMI 3 flow).

[Value of coronary blood flow pattern as a predictor of functional recovery and short-term left ventricular remodeling after primary coronary angioplasty. A transthoracic Doppler study].

Introduction And Objectives: Coronary blood flow measurement using a Doppler guidewire is the most sensitive way of detecting the no-reflow phenomenon following reperfusion of a myocardial infarction (MI). New high-frequency Doppler probes enable coronary blood flow velocity to be measured noninvasively. Our aims were to study the different patterns of left anterior coronary artery blood flow observed by transthoracic Doppler echocardiography, and to describe their association with functional recovery following reperfusion of an anterior MI.

[Dobutamine stress echocardiography in patients with stable chronic angina and a low- or medium-risk on exercise testing: usefulness for assessing long-term prognosis].

Introduction And Objectives: The ability of stress echocardiography to provide prognostic information that supplements that obtainable from clinical data and exercise electrocardiography is still controversial. Our aim was to determine whether dobutamine stress echocardiography provides additional information on long-term prognosis after conventional exercise testing has indicated that a patient with chronic stable angina has a low or intermediate risk of a cardiac event.

Patients And Method: The study included consecutive patients with stable angina who were not found to be at high risk on a previous exercise test.

Noninvasive assessment of coronary flow velocity reserve in left anterior descending artery adds diagnostic value to both clinical variables and dobutamine echocardiography: a study based on clinical practice.

Aims: Our objective was to evaluate, in clinical practice, whether noninvasive assessment of coronary flow velocity reserve in left anterior coronary artery adds diagnostic information to both clinical variables and wall motion abnormalities derived from dobutamine stress echocardiography.

Methods And Results: We studied 130 patients who were scheduled for coronary angiography after undergoing dobutamine stress echocardiography. The same day, flow in left anterior descending artery was detected by transthoracic Doppler echocardiography.

[Functional assessment of patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy by maximal oxygen consumption].

Introduction And Objectives: Differences between anatomical severity and clinical manifestations are frequent in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Our objective was to assess functional capacity in a consecutive group of patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy measuring exercise aerobic parameters, as well as clinical and echocardiographic variables.

Patients And Method: We studied 98 consecutive patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.