Non-invasive Assessment of Pulmonary Vascular Resistance in Elderly Patients With Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

Observational Study of Comparison of Echocardiographic Markers of Right Ventricular Function and Electrocardiographic Signs of Chronic Cor Pulmonale in Elderly Patient With COPD

Many studies have evaluated the viability of measuring the pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR) by non-invasive methods in patients with pulmonary hypertension, pulmonary thromboembolism, ischemic cardiopathy and valvular disease. The investigators have not found other studies which evaluate the PVR in elderly patients with COPD. The hypothesis is that in patients with COPD, the severity of obstruction, expressed by GOLD class, is associated with an increase of PVR.

Inclusion Criteria:

• diagnosis of COPD stage II, III or IV according to the GOLD guidelines
• signed the informed consent

Exclusion Criteria:

• ischemic cardiopathy
• severe valvular disease
• atrial fibrillation
• left bundle branch block