ASSOCIATION BETWEEN ECHOCARDIOGRAPHIC PARAMETERS OF RIGHT VENTRICULAR FUNCTION AND VENTRICULAR-ARTERIAL COUPLING IN PATIENTS WITH HEART FAILURE, THEIR SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS

• DOI: https://doi.org/10.22533/at.ed.1595825280114

• Palavras-chave: Echocardiographic parameters, right ventricular dysfunction, heart failure, signs and symptoms.

• Keywords: Echocardiographic parameters, right ventricular dysfunction, heart failure, signs and symptoms.

• Abstract:

  Introduction: Heart failure (HF), the final common pathway of heart disease, has an increasing prevalence in the Brazilian population, as a result of factors such as the ageing of the population, greater presence of cardiovascular risk factors and therapeutic advances that reduce mortality, and whose high morbidity significantly affects patients' quality of life, also causing high socio-economic costs. Early diagnosis of decompensation in patients with HF is a challenge in order to take measures to avoid hospital admissions and other unfavorable clinical events. Echocardiographic parameters of right ventricular function and ventriculo-arterial coupling may be associated with signs and symptoms of this clinical decompensation. Objectives: The aim of the study is to evaluate the association between echocardiographic parameters of right ventricular function and ventriculo-arterial coupling with the presence of signs and symptoms of left and right heart failure in outpatients. Materials and Methods: This is a quantitative and qualitative study, with data collected at the Jundiaí Medical School outpatient clinic, from the medical records, clinical history and physical examination of heart failure patients with reduced ejection fraction (LVEF < 50%). Data will be collected from the echocardiograms performed. An analysis of the echocardiographic parameters obtained and possible relationship with the presence of signs and symptoms of HF will be carried out. Results: Due to this non-significant amount of echocardiographic parameters of ventricle-arterial coupling, analysis was changed to the verification of right ventricle function and its association with signs / symptoms of heart failure. The mean age of the patients was 62.4 12.2 years, 62% male, with a left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) of 38.8 8.5%. According to the sample collected, no relationship could be found between right ventricular dysfunction and the signs/symptoms of heart failure. The presence of right ventricular dysfunction was only statistically significantly associated with a worse LVEF. Conclusion: The presence of right ventricular dysfunction on echocardiography was not associated with a greater number of signs and symptoms of heart failure. Patients with right ventricular dysfunction had a worse left ventricular ejection fraction.