Journal of the American Society of Echocardiography : official publication of the American Society of Echocardiography
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J Am Soc Echocardiogr · Jan 2001
GuidelineGuidelines for cardiac sonographer education: recommendations of the American Society of Echocardiography Sonographer Training and Education Committee.
In 1992, the American Society of Echocardiography published a report of the Sonographer Education and Training Committee's recommendations for education of sonographers who perform echocardiographic procedures. Since the publication of the original document, there has been continual progress in technology with the development of more sophisticated diagnostic applications that allow more information to be obtained from echocardiographic procedures. These recent changes in the clinical application of echocardiography should be included in all cardiac sonographer education programs. The American Society of Echocardiography, a professional society that currently represents approximately 2500 cardiac sonographers, provides these updated guidelines.
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J Am Soc Echocardiogr · Jan 2001
Case ReportsIntra-atrial thrombus after surgical closure of patent foramen ovale.
Patent foramen ovale (PFO) represents a potential path for paradoxical embolism and is associated with cryptogenic stroke. It has been suggested that because a PFO represents a repairable lesion (by surgical or transcatheter methods), repair may be the optimal treatment to prevent recurrent stroke. ⋯ The diagnosis of an intra-atrial thrombus with a small residual PFO was made by subsequent transesophageal echocardiography. Thrombus formation at the closure site needs to be considered in a patient with recurrent embolic events after closure of a PFO.
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J Am Soc Echocardiogr · Jan 2001
The value of contrast echocardiography in the diagnosis of patent ductus arteriosus with Eisenmenger's syndrome.
When patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) is complicated by pulmonary hypertension resulting in a right-to-left shunt, an erroneous diagnosis of primary pulmonary hypertension may be made, even after echocardiographic examination. Among the 8 patients referred to our echocardiography laboratory with the diagnosis of primary pulmonary hypertension between June 1994 and November 1999, 2 patients were found to have PDA with Eisenmenger's syndrome. Patent ductus arteriosus with Eisenmenger's syndrome can be diagnosed by the opacification of the abdominal aorta without opacification of the left-sided chambers during contrast echocardiography.
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J Am Soc Echocardiogr · Dec 2000
Case ReportsEntrapment of subvalvular mitral tissue causing intermittent failure of a St Jude mitral prosthesis.
Frequently portions of the mitral valve and sub-valvular apparatus are left intact during mitral valve replacement to help preserve left ventricular function. We describe a patient with paroxysmal congestive heart failure caused by intermittent entrapment of the subvalvular apparatus in the prosthesis, preventing complete valve closure.
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J Am Soc Echocardiogr · Dec 2000
Sublingual nitroglycerin delays arterial wave reflections despite increased aortic "stiffness" in patients with hypertension: a Doppler echocardiography study.
Venodilatation with consequent reduction in left ventricular filling and end-diastolic wall stress is an important mechanism for the beneficial effects of nitroglycerin in ischemic heart disease and in left ventricular failure. The effects of sublingual nitroglycerin on arterial pulsatile hemodynamics are less well defined. Doppler echocardiography and the calibrated subclavian artery pulse tracing were used to assess hemodynamics in subjects with sustained arterial hypertension (n = 25) before and 5 to 10 minutes after sublingual deposition of 0.5 mg glyceryl trinitrate. ⋯ Peripheral resistance tended to decrease (4%, P =.06). Thus, in subjects with sustained hypertension, sublingual nitroglycerin dilates peripheral, predominantly muscular arteries with a subsequent delayed return of reflected pressure waves. Reflex activation of the sympathetic nervous system with consequent increased acceleration of left ventricular ejection seems to counteract the effect of reduced mean arterial pressure (distending pressure) with respect to the "stiffness" of the aorta.