The American Society of Echocardiography (ASE) and the European Association of Cardiovascular Imaging (EACVI) have released their first guidance document on how to perform stress echocardiography in nonischemic heart disease.
The guidelines aim to establish guidance for how best to apply, perform, and interpret stress echocardiography for patients with a multitude of conditions, according to the associations. They include details on technical considerations and imaging techniques, as well as the value the modality can add in managing specific heart conditions other than ischemic heart disease, they said.
The document also delineates the use of stress echocardiography in helping patients who need intervention for valvular disease. In addition, the organizations have included recommendations on how to use stress echocardiography to detect diastolic dysfunction -- considered to be the main cause of heart failure in roughly 40% of patients with clinical heart failure.
The guidelines will be published in the February issue of the Journal of the American Society of Echocardiography and can also be downloaded by visiting the ASE's website. Dr. Patricia Pellikka, co-chair of the writing group that produced the document, will also conduct a live webinar on March 24, 2017, at 1 p.m. Eastern time to discuss the guidelines. Available for free to all ASE members, the webinar can also be accessed at the ASE's website.
