ECHOCARDIOGRAPHIC MANIFESTATION OF HIGH ALTITUDE CARDIAC DISEASE / 解放军医学杂志

ABSTRACT

This is a report of echocardiographic features of high altitude cardiac disease. The authors examined 25 healthy men at sea level as a control, 45 healthy male inhabitants at 3658 meters and 25 male inhabitants at the same high level but with high altitude cardiac disease. The results showed that the internal diameter of right ventricle and right pulmonary artery in healthy inhabitants was larger as compared with that seen in the control group. However, there was no significant difference in the internal diameter of the left ventricle, the value of stroke volume, cardiac index or ejection fraction between these two groups. These findings suggest that the left ventricle of the healthy inhabitants adapts to the high altitude well. The echocardiographic features of the male inhabitants suffering from high altitude cardiac disease showed several peculiarities. There was an enlargement of the internal diameters of the right ventricle and the right pulmonary artery; the pulmonary valves showed typical echocardiographic patterns of pulmonary hypertension; the internal diameters of the left ventricle and the values of stroke volume are also increased but their ejection fractions decreased significantly as compared with the healthy inhabitants. Prolapse of mitral valve was observed in four patients. Left ventricular dilatation and dysfunction may be the result of systemic hypertension, polycythemia, increase of cardiac output or hypoxia. Echocardiographic criteria for diagnosis of high altitude cardiac disease are outlined.