A review of the first two years of the clinical application of echocardiography at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Barbados - abstract

ABSTRACT

Echocardiography was first used extensively as a non-invasive cardio-diagnostic procedure in the late 1960's and early 1970's. Since that time, it has become invaluable as a reliable, reproducible and easily performed investigation which encompasses a wide range of clinical applications. The procedure has been in use in the English-speaking Caribbean countries for a period of only 3 -4 years, and in Barbados for the past 2 years. The reports of all echocardiograms performed over the 2-year period were reviewed and recorded together with other relevant data. A total of 710 echocardiograms were performed. The age range of patients studied was < 1 year (31 patients) to > 74 years (19 patients), with 30 percent of echocardiograms being performed on patients <14 years of age and 14 percent on patients >54 years. Of the 710 echocardiograms, 473 were carried out on outpatients, and 223 on inpatients; 14 were unrecorded. The listed indications for requesting an echocardiogram were suspected or process congenital heart disease, 246; acquired valvular heart disease, 185; coronary artery disease, 42; mitral valve prolapse, 117; pericardial effusion, 53; suspected cardiac pathology, 85; postoperative assessment, 39; pre-cardioversion, 7; and routine requirement in minoxidil study, 43. On several occasioins more than one indication was listed as the reason for requesting the study. A detailed analysis was undertaken of the echocardiograms of patients in the previously mentioned diagnostic categories together with patients who subsequently underwent cardia catheterisation. The financial cost of the servicing and repair of the echocardiographic nachine used together with cost of re-usables over the 2 years was BD$20,714.00. The results of this study indicate that echocardiography, though relatively costly, has become a very useful, widely applied and highly recognised non-invasive cardio-diagnostic procedure in Barbados (AU)