Echocardiography in coronary artery disease

Coronary artery disease (CAD) is one of the major causes of morbidity and mortality. Imaging techniques represent the key method for disease extent and severity assessment and evaluation of hemodynamic complications. In skilled hands the method provides useful information for clinical management and prognosis assessment. Complex evaluation brings information about global and regional myocardial function, myocardial viability, ischemic mitral regurgitation, and about development of complications such as left ventricular thrombus formation, myocardial rupture and pericardial effusion. The main drawback of echocardiography is the limited echogenicity of many patients and its undeniable operator-dependence. However, the possibility of bringing the echocardiographic imaging to the bedside of our patients makes the method essential and its knowledge indispensable for all cardiologists.