PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Howard, Luke S.
AU  - Grapsa, Julia
AU  - Dawson, David
AU  - Bellamy, Michael
AU  - Chambers, John B.
AU  - Masani, Navroz D.
AU  - Nihoyannopoulos, Petros
AU  - Simon R. Gibbs, J.
TI  - Echocardiographic assessment of pulmonary hypertension: standard operating procedure
AID  - 10.1183/09059180.00003912
DP  - 2012 Sep 01
TA  - European Respiratory Review
PG  - 239--248
VI  - 21
IP  - 125
4099  - https://publications.ersnet.org//content/21/125/239.short
4100  - https://publications.ersnet.org//content/21/125/239.full
SO  - EUROPEAN RESPIRATORY REVIEW2012 Sep 01; 21
AB  - Patients with suspected pulmonary hypertension (PH) should be evaluated using a multimodality approach to ensure that they receive a correct diagnosis. The series of investigations required includes clinical evaluation, noninvasive imaging techniques and right heart catheterisation (considered to be the “gold standard” for the diagnosis of PH). Current guidelines recommend that a detailed echocardiographic assessment is performed in all patients with suspected PH. In this review we summarise a protocol adopted by the National Pulmonary Hypertension Centres of UK and Ireland and approved by the British Society of Echocardiography for the evaluation of these patients. The views and measurements described are recommended for diagnosis, assisting in prognosis and providing a noninvasive means of following disease progression or response to therapy.