ECHOCARDIOGRAPHIC DETECTION OF REVERSIBLE RIGHT-VENTRICULAR STRAIN INPATIENTS WITH ACUTE PULMONARY-EMBOLISM - REPORT OF 2 CASES

This report presents serial echocardiographic changes recorded before and after anticoagulant therapy was administered to 2 patients with ac ute pulmonary embolism. Dilatation of the right ventricle, abnormal mo tion of the interventricular septum and mild tricuspid regurgitation w ere noted in both patients. The results of the echocardiogram suggeste d that the patients had right ventricular pressure overload resulting from pulmonary hypertension caused by an acute pulmonary embolism. Ech ocardiograms performed after the patients had received anticoagulant t herapy revealed a normalization of the echocardiographic parameters in both patients. The reversal of the right ventricular strain pattern r evealed by an echocardiogram occurred as the result of the regression of pulmonary hypertension after anticoagulant therapy. In conclusion, echocardiographic detection of right ventricular strain in patients wh o present acute cardiopulmonary manifestations with no previous histor y of severe pulmonary disease may indicate the possibility of a pulmon ary embolism.