Right heart failure echocardiography

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1];Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Jad Z Al Danaf; Rim Halaby

Overview

Transthoracic echocardiography plays a key role in the diagnosis of right heart failure by showing signs of right ventricular hypertrophy, tricuspid regurgitation and pulmonary hypertension.

Echocardiography

Transthoracic echocardiography plays a key role in the diagnosis of right heart failure and of the most common findings are:

Right ventricular hypertrophy (>15mm thick at end diastole in adults)
Right ventricle systolic dysfunction and wall motion abnormalities
Tricuspid regurgitation
Pulmonary hypertension
Congenital heart diseases findings (ASD should be suspected when there is RV dilatation with RBBB on EKG. A TEE is a better modality to rule it out than TTE)
Dilated inferior vena cava. ^[1]^[2]

References

↑ Skhiri M. et al. Evidence-Based Management of Right Heart Failure: a Systematic Review of an Empiric Fiel. Rev Esp Cardiol. 2010;63(4):451-71
↑ Piazza G, Goldhaber SZ. The acutely decompensated right ventricle: pathways for diagnosis and management. Chest. 2005;128:1836 –1852.

Overview