Cardiology clinics
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Review
Contemporary application of cardiovascular hemodynamics: transcatheter aortic valve interventions.
Over the past two decades, echocardiography has replaced cardiac catheterization for aortic valvular hemodynamic assessment. In recent years, however, there has been a rapid evolution of transcatheter aortic valve technology and, with its refinement, there has been the increasing recognition of the value of transcatheter hemodynamic assessment in complementing the information provided by contemporary echocardiography. With an emphasis on transcatheter hemodynamics, this article reviews the symbiotic application of these assessment modalities pertaining to contemporary transcatheter aortic valve implantation.
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Cardiac catheterization historically has been the principal diagnostic modality for the evaluation of constrictive pericarditis, restrictive cardiomyopathy, and cardiac tamponade. In many instances, the hemodynamic consequences of these disorders can be accurately delineated with non-invasive methods. However, cardiac catheterization should be considered when there is a discrepancy between the clinical and non-invasive imaging data, and particularly may be required for the evaluation of patients with complex hemodynamic disorders. This report describes the methods and clinical utility of invasive hemodynamic catheterization for the evaluation of constriction, restriction, and cardiac tamponade.