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New Echocardiographic Methods for Right Ventricular Function (NEW-RV Study)

Several studies of the last years revealed that the right ventricular (RV) function has an important predictive value for the survival of patients with congenital heart disease, pulmonary hypertension or chronic heart failure.

Many parameters are used to describe right ventricular dysfunction, but none of these has a comparable significance as the left ventricular ejection fraction. Because of the limitation of each RV parameter the stepwise combination of these is used to describe RV function.

Aims of this study are the evaluation of new echocardiographic methods (3D/4D- and strain-echocardiography) for measurement of the right ventricular (RV) function. The study is carried out as prospective, monocentric trial at the Department of Cardiology of the University Hospital of Heidelberg. Three different groups are set up for the assessment of the right ventricular function: patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension, patients with chronic heart failure of the left ventricle affecting the right heart, as well as a control group ...
Clinical Trials

New Echocardiographic Parameters for Assessment of Longitudinal Left Ventricular Function (LAX Study)

The assessment of left ventricular systolic function is the most frequent indication for routine echocardiography. Qualitative eyeball method and biplane modified Simpson's rule, both measuring radial ventricular function, are the currently recommended methods to meet this challenge. Due to the complexity of the myocardial architecture, global left ventricular function also has longitudinal and torsional components.

Thus, the aim of this study is to evaluate new echocardiographic parameters for longitudinal left ventricular function. A special focus is set on strain imaging by speckle tracking, which is a relatively new technique. Patients with different cardiac pathologies (e. g. dilated cardiomyopathy, coronary artery disease, diastolic dysfunction) will be included and compared to healthy individuals. ... Clinical Trials

Cardiovascular Risk Factors in an Ambulatory Urban Patient Population (AsuRiesgo Study)

According to WHO estimations, cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are the number one cause of death globally. More people die annually from CVDs than from any other cause. An estimated 17.5 million people died from CVDs in 2005, representing 30% of all global deaths. Of these deaths, an estimated 7.6 million were due to coronary heart disease and 5.7 million were due to stroke.

Over 80% of CVD deaths take place in low- and middle-income countries and occur almost equally in men and women. In Paraguay, prevalence of classic risk factors, as well as new ones, like the metabolic syndrome are not completely known.

Government health policies in industrialized countries are focusing on programs to modify cardiovascular risk factors. In developing countries, prevention of coronary heart disease and stroke through modification of cardiovascular risk factors are not playing a large role at the moment.

The aim of this study is to define the effects of changes in lifestyle on cardiovascular risk factors, when added to optimized standard pharmacological therapy for arterial hypertension, diabetes mellitus and hyperlipidemia, in an ambulatory urban patient population. Furthermore, diagnostic and predictive parameters in transthoracic echocardiography will be evaluated ... Clinical Trials | AsuRiesgo

New Echocardiographic Parameters for Prediction of Response to Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy (NEW-CRT)

Echocardiography parameters for cardiac dyssynchrony had no predictive value in current multicentric prospective studies concerning prediction of response to cardiac resynchronization therapy. Comprehensive echocardiography and new parameters as 2D and 3D strain, as well as 3D echo have been analyzed, but their definite value has not been proven yet.

In patients with severe heart failure, delays in the conduction system can result in asynchronous contraction impairing cardiac function. By implantation of pacemaker systems with three leads located in atrium, right ventricle and coronary sinus, tracing back this deranged contraction closer to the physiological excitation propagation is aimed (cardial resynchronization therapy [CRT]).

Despite patient selection according to the guidelines nearly one-third of the patients do not profit, neither clinically nor echocardiographically, from an implanted CRT-device. In addition, recent studies have shown that no reliable prediction may be achieved with the known echocardiographic parameters of dyssynchrony, regarding the response to such therapy. The aim of this study is therefore to assess new echocardiographic parameters, which may allow to better predict CRT response ... Clinical Trials

ORCID