Assessment of Right Ventricular Function After Acute Pulmonary Embolism Using Speckle Tracking Echocardiography

Assessment of Right Ventricular Function After Acute Pulmonary Embolism Using Speckle Tracking Echocardiography

1. To asses regional RV function in patients presented with acute pulmonary embolism using speckle tracking echocardiography
2. To evaluate its relationship to long term mortality.

Pulmonary embolism (PE) is the third most common cardiovascular cause of death after myocardial infarction and stroke . The incidence of PE has been increasing ,with significant associated mortality; a recent registry of PE patients reported a mortality rate > 10% at 30 days. There are a number of emerging contemporary PE therapies, including thrombolysis, catheter intervention and surgery. Early and accurate identification of PE in patients is therefore critical. A transthoracic echocardiogram (TTE) may help when there is a clinical suspicion for PE, and its use in confirmed PE is widely recommended . A number of right atrial (RA) and right ventricular (RV) parameters have been shown to be abnormal in patients with PE . In addition, RA and RV enlargement portends a worse prognosis in these patients .

Inclusion Criteria:

1. clinical diagnosis of acute pulmonary embolism
2. Age: 20 - 70 years.

Exclusion Criteria:

1. coronary artery disease
2. patient of Atrial fibrillation.
3. Patient of impaired RV function due to chest disease (Cor-pulmonale)
4. patient with impaired Ejection fraction (EF) <50%
5. Moderate to severe valvular heart disease.
6. Atrio-ventricular conduction disturbance.
7. Poor echogenicity