THE DETECTION OF LEFT-VENTRICULAR DISEASE BY ECHOCARDIOGRAPHY IN PATIENTS WITH ACUTE ON-CHRONIC RESPIRATORY-FAILURE

Echocardiography was performed in a systematic fashion in 58 patients suffering from on-chronic respiratory failure (IRC) who were admitted to the intensive care unit. The prevalence of left ventricular disease in patients with IRC who were admitted to the intensive care unit was 31%, there were 18 cases of cardiac disease: nine had hypertrophic ca rdiac disease (two with intraventricular gradients), three had dilated cardiomopathies, and there were six cases of ischaemic cardiac diseas e. Among these cases, six had not previously been diagnosed as having cardiac disease (1O%). In cases with poor echogenicity by the transtho racic root, oesophageal echocardiography was performed and this improv ed the feasibility of a good examination with only a five per cent fai lure rate. Left ventricular disease was implicated in the clinical ass essment eleven times (19%), either on admission (nine times) or during the course of the in-patient treatment (twice). In directing the init ial assessment and the aetiological treatment, echocardiography direct ly contributed to better management in six cases (1O%). As regards the number of cases of cardiac disease which were detected, the study con firms the value of this technique at the bedside of the patient. The u se of the transoesophageal route improves the diagnostic value includi ng those patients who were intubated and ventilated.