CorSalud 2012 Jul-Sep;4(3)

This article is only available in Spanish

Damián Pérez Cabrera, MD¹; Alain Alonso Herrera, MD²; Yannelys Gómez García, MD¹; Luis E. Novo Choy, MD³ and Juan Miguel Cruz
Elizundia, MD⁴
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1. First Degree Specialist in Cardiology. University Hospital "Arnaldo Milian Castro". Villa Clara, Cuba.

2. First Degree Specialist in Cardiology. Military Hospital "Comandante Manuel Fajardo". Villa Clara, Cuba.

3. First Degree Specialist in Comprehensive General Medicine. Diploma Course in Adult Intensive Care. University Hospital "Arnaldo Milian Castro". Villa Clara, Cuba.

4. First Degree Specialist in Cardiology. Cardiocentro "Ernesto Che Guevara". Villa Clara, Cuba.

Abstract

The assessment of pulmonary hemodynamics depends on many clinical situations because the pulmonary vascular tree may be affected by various physiological and pathological circumstances. The gold test for assessing these parameters is the right heart catheterization, but its use cannot be routinely justified. Imaging techniques, especially echocardiography, have developed rapidly and allow for a full and approximate description, as well as the magnitude of the impact of these parameters on the heart. There are several echocardiographic indexes that are of particular interest in the assessment of pulmonary hemodynamics, and multiple variables should be analyzed to ensure proper interpretation of results and an accurate echocardiographic diagnosis. This article presents a review of the different echocardiographic variables involved in assessing pulmonary hemodynamics and their application in the clinical setting.
Key words: Pulmonary hypertension, diagnosis, echocardiography