6533b7cffe1ef96bd1258ac6
RESEARCH PRODUCT
Usefulness of echocardiography in the assessment of internal medicine inpatients: An analysis according to ACC/AHA guidelines
Corrao SArnone SAmato VincenzoLicata AAmico GLicata Gsubject
AdultMaleInpatientsSettore MED/09 - Medicina InternaAdult Aged Echocardiography* Female Humans Inpatients Internal Medicine/methods* Male Middle Aged Retrospective StudiesMiddle AgedSettore MED/45 - Scienze Infermieristiche Generali Cliniche E PediatricheEchocardiographyInternal MedicineHumansFemaleAgedRetrospective Studiesdescription
BACKGROUND: We aimed to analyze the importance of echocardiography in our Internal Medicine Institute. We think that this technique could have a large impact in the evaluation of the internistic inpatient who is usually affected by multiple pathological problems. METHODS: Analysis was performed according to the ACC/AHA guidelines for the application of echocardiography. The data of 1211 consecutive inpatients were analyzed. RESULTS: Sixty-three per cent of all the patients had two or more associated diseases. Moreover, patients in whom echocardiography could be considered appropriate or useful were 67%. Our results point out that echocardiographic examination is generally a technique of great importance for the evaluation of internistic inpatients. CONCLUSIONS: This study could represent a useful background for a cost/benefit analysis that should evaluate the utility of a specifically-dedicated echocardiographic laboratory for optimal, autonomous management of internal medicine inpatients.
| year | journal | country | edition | language |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999-02-12 |