IS CARDIAC-CATHETERIZATION NECESSARY IN THE ERA OF ECHOCARDIOGRAPHY -COST-EFFECTIVE APPROACH COMBINING ECHOCARDIOGRAPHY AND CARDIAC-CATHETERIZATION

Definitive evaluation of cardiovascular disease is traditionally accom plished by cardiac catheterization. Advances in transthoracic and tran sesophageal Doppler echocardiography provides an accurate and cost-eff ective approach when compared to cardiac catheterization. Recent data suggests that for most adult patients with aortic or mitral valve dise ase, Doppler echocardiographic data enables the clinician, to maize th e same decision reached with catheterization data. Echo and Doppler st udies are useful in guiding certain therapeutic interventional procedu res, and in the diagnosis of aortic dissection, mechanical complicatio ns of myocardial infarction, and in identifying aortic atheromas as a potential source of embolism. Future research will need to demonstrate that not only is echocardiography cost-effective, but that it will ch ange the outcome of the patient.