Purpose of review: Echocardiography is a noninvasive tool of choice for evaluating cardiac structure and function in numerous cardiac conditions ranging from congenital heart disease, myocardial diseases, coronary artery disease (CAD), valvulopathies, arrhythmias, and pericardial disorders. We review the prognostic significance of echocardiographic indices of cardiac remodeling in the general population.
Recent findings: Recent meta-analyses have confirmed the prognostic significance of echocardiographic measurements (left ventricular mass/hypertrophy, systolic and diastolic dysfunction, left atrial dimensions and function, and strain rate measures) in asymptomatic people in the community for adverse clinical outcomes including CAD, stroke, heart failure, atrial fibrillation, sudden death, and all-cause mortality. The clinical utility of screening echocardiography has been examined comprehensively in hypertensive patients, where it is challenged by measurement variability. Echocardiographic measures predict cardiovascular disease outcomes consistently in multiple community-based epidemiological studies. However, the clinical utility of screening asymptomatic individuals with echocardiography in population-based settings is limited.
Keywords: Cohort studies; Diastolic dysfunction; Echocardiography; Epidemiology; Left ventricular mass; Outcomes; Prognosis; Systolic dysfunction.