Medicinski pregled
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Sarcoidosis is a granulomatous disease that may involve multiple organ systems. Cardiac sarcoidosis may be a primary or a secondary process. Clinical manifestations of cardiac sarcoidosis include impulse conduction disorders, various arrhythmias, symptoms and signs of heart failure and even sudden death. The aim of the present paper was to assess the possibilities for echocardiographic detection of pathological changes in the hearts of patients with diagnosed systemic sarcoidosis. ⋯ Echocardiography is a very useful method for obtaining important information on morphological and functional changes in myocardium of patients with sarcoidosis. However, neither of previously mentioned echocardiographic signs is specific for cardiac sarcoidosis. The diagnosis of cardiac sarcoidosis cannot be made solely on the basis of echocardiographic findings. Other diagnostic procedures, from clinical findings to endomyocardial biopsy, must be employed as well.