J Korean Soc Emerg Med.  2000 Dec;11(4):555-562.

Feasibility of Echocardiographic Evaluation of Ventricular Function After Short-term Course

• Kim W
• Lim KS
• Oh BH
• Hong ES
• Kim YS
• Kim SM
• Lee BS
• Hyun SC
• Kim YD

Abstract

BACKGROUND: The initial history, physical examination, and ECG assessment should focus on identification of potentially serious noncardiac or cardiac disorders, including coronary artery disease, congestive heart failure, and electrical instability at the emergency room. additionally, it is essential to define disease severity, stability and need for emergency therpy. echocardiography is a useful tool for this purppose. especially Doppler echocardiography may be more sensitive and time-saving diagnostic tool for the evaluation of patients presenting with cardiogenic symptoms. So we evaluate the feasibility of the echocardiographic measurement by emergency physicain after short-term course.
METHOD AND RESULTS
Twenty volunteers(10 male, 38.8+/-9.3 years) were included in the study for measurement of myocardial performance index and established parameters of ventricular function using conventional echo-Doppler methods. Myocardial performance index: (ICT+IRT)/ET, was obtained by subtracting ejection time(ET) from the interval between cessation and onset of the mitral inflow velocity to give the sum of isovolumic contraction time(ICT) and isovolumic relaxation time(IRT). The most of mean values of echocardiogrphic parameters were not significantly different between those of cardiologist and those of emergency physicians(p<0.01). The duration for measuring myocardial performance index was shortest among echocardiographic parameters. the validity of echocardiographic parameters measured by emergency physicians was proved relatively good.
CONCLUSION
It is proved to be feasible for emergency physician to perform echocardiographic evaluation of ventricular function after short-term course.

MeSH Terms

Coronary Artery Disease
Curriculum*
Echocardiography*
Echocardiography, Doppler
Electrocardiography
Emergencies
Emergency Service, Hospital
Heart Failure
Humans
Male
Physical Examination
Relaxation
Ventricular Function*