Echocardiography in Acute Coronary Syndrome (PDF)

Coronary artery disease is the most commonly encountered problem in adult cardiology in the developed world. In the US, more than 70 million people are at risk for developing coronary artery disease (CAD) and it is responsible for almost 40% of all deaths each year. The reliable evaluation of patients with suspected ischemic heart disease is therefore critical to identifying those at risk for CAD.

Initially used to detect pericardial effusions and cardiac tumors, the development of echocardiography as a dignostic tool has paralleled the progress made in acute coronary syndrome (ACS), and ACS is now the most common indication for echocardiography.

Echocardiography in Acute Coronary Syndrome: Diagnosis, Treatment and Prevention details the role of echocardiography in diagnosing and managing ACS. It provides a practical approach using evidence-based pathways for prevention, rapid diagnosis and treatment of patients with acute coronary disease using echocardiography. Also included are a number of case scenarios encountered in everyday practice for which echocardiography had significant clinical impact making this a convenient reference for all involved in the management of these patients, from echocardiographers and cardiology clinicians to emergency room personnel, and internal medicine and cardiology trainees.