Avtor/Urednik		Pernat, Andrej
Naslov		Heart failure: evaluation and guidelines. How should cardiologists evaluate heart failure?
Tip		članek
Vir		In: Štiblar-Martinčič D, Petrovič D, editors. Cardiovascular diseases. Proceedings of the 32nd memorial meeting devoted to professor Janez Plečnik, International symposium in memory of professor Rene Favaloro; 2001 Dec 6-8; Ljubljana. Ljubljana: Medical faculty,
Leto izdaje		2001
Obseg		str. 37-44
Jezik		eng
Abstrakt		Heart failure is characterized by decreased left ventricular ejection fraction or increased flling pressures. It is important to elucidate the type of heart failure because it determines optimal treatment. Systolic dysfunction exists when decreased ejection fraction is present. Diastolic dysfunction is implied when filling pressure is increased with a normal ejection ftaction and without alternative explanatory diagnosis. During initial evaluation of suspected heart failure, clinical signs and symptoms are combined with EKG and chest X-ray. Lack of specificity and sensitivity, however, limit these tests to provide accurate basis for diagnosis. Objective determination of cardiac dysfunction is necessary, and this is obtained by echocardiography. This methodology allows accurate determination of ventricular dysfunction and, in many instances, also provides information about etiology of heart failure. Coronary angiography is indicated in patients with chronic left ventricular dysfunction and coronary artery disease, as well as for evaluation of resistant heart failure of unexplained etiology. Cardiac catheterization and myocardial biopsy may help in elucidating some more obscure etiologies of heart failure.
Deskriptorji		HEART FAILURE, CONGESTIVE CORONARY ANGIOGRAPHY ECHOCARDIOGRAPHY VENTRICULAR DYSFUNCTION, LEFT CORONARY DISEASE HYPERTENSION