The metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular disease: Part I.

The metabolic syndrome is a constellation of metabolic risk factors and physical conditions that are accompanied by an enhanced propensity toward the development of type 2 diabetes, atherosclerosis, and cardiovascular disease. It presents a combination of atherosclerosis risk including atherogenic dyslipidemia, hypertension, elevated plasma glucose, hypercoagulability, and a proinflammatory state. The 2 major underlying risk factors for the metabolic syndrome are obesity and insulin resistance.

Effect of echocardiographic contrast on velocity vector imaging myocardial tracking.

Background: Two-dimensional speckle tracking is an evolving ultrasound technology that allows objective evaluation of left ventricular function. The effect of echocardiographic contrast with 2-dimensional speckle tracking image processing is poorly defined.

Methods: A total of 11 patients undergoing clinically indicated transthoracic echocardiography who also required echocardiographic contrast for left ventricular endocardial border enhancement were prospectively studied.

Ventricular fibrillation in late recovery after dobutamine stress echocardiography.

A 62-year-old man with multiple cardiac risk factors, including diabetes mellitus type II, treated hypertension, and hyperlipidemia, had a dobutamine stress echocardiogram performed as part of a preoperative evaluation. At peak stress the patient developed an apical regional wall motion abnormality. Approximately 12 minutes into the recovery period, the patient developed ventricular tachycardia that degenerated into ventricular fibrillation.

Three methods for evaluation of left atrial volume.

Aim: To compare and contrast 3 different echocardiographic methods used to measure left atrial (LA) volume: biplane area length (AL), biplane modified Simpson (SIMP), and prolate ellipse (PE) methods.

Methods And Results: A review of consecutive patients who presented to our outpatient echocardiography laboratory for a resting transthoracic study between April 2006 and May 2006 was performed. Echocardiograms were reexamined and LA volume measured using the AL, SIMP, and PE methods.