Echocardiographic evaluation of cardiac dyssynchrony: Does it still matter?

Echocardiography. 2018 May;35(5):707-715. doi: 10.1111/echo.13902. Epub 2018 May 2.

Abstract

Cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) is an established treatment for patients with heart failure and left ventricular systolic dysfunction. For many years, cardiac mechanical dyssynchrony assessed by echocardiography has been considered as a key evaluation to characterize CRT candidates and predict CRT response. In current guidelines, however, CRT implant indications rely only on electrical dyssynchrony. The aim of this article was to clarify whether and how the evaluation of cardiac mechanical dyssynchrony should be performed today by echocardiography.

Keywords: cardiac resynchronization therapy; echocardiography; heart failure; speckle tracking echocardiography.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy*
  • Echocardiography / methods*
  • Heart Failure / diagnosis*
  • Humans
  • Ventricular Dysfunction, Left / diagnosis*