Echocardiographic Evaluation of Left Ventricular Function and Geometry After Thrombolysis

Abstract

Because two-dimensional echocardiography can be repeated easily and provides decisive information regarding both function and shape of the left ventricle, this noninvasive technique is ideally suited to evaluate the functional and anatomical events that characterize ventricular remodeling after infarction. Serial examination during the first days after onset of infarction has demonstrated that early recovery (i.e., within 24 h after administration of thrombolytic agents) is not uncommon. Furthermore, left ventricular enlargement, both regional and global, appears to be lessened and is associated with a lower wall motion score index (i.e., sum of wall motion scores for all ventricular segments, reflecting left ventricular functional status), not necessarily with an improved ejection fraction.