Hiroki Usuku, Eiichiro Yamamoto, Fumi Oike, Kenichi Yoshida, Yuji Ogata, Saori Kato, Syota Fukushige, Ayako Tomita, Seiki Matsumoto, Yoshio Iwayama, Kanako Honda, Shinji Tanaka, Yoko Fukuyoshi, Tamami Ousaka, Eiichiro Tanaka, Ikuo Misumi, Kazuhiro Nishigami, Hiroyuki Shono, Kenichi Tsujita
BACKGROUND: There are few reports on transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) for the evaluation of valvular heart disease in a specific area or region. METHODS AND RESULTS: This cross-sectional questionnaire-based survey was conducted in 2023 in Kumamoto Prefecture, where 106 hospitals provide cardiology services. Ninety-three (88%) of the hospitals completed questionnaires regarding TTE. The severity of low flow/low gradient AS was evaluated by dobutamine stress echocardiography in only 7% of hospitals and exercise stress echocardiography for asymptomatic mitral regurgitation in only 5%...
April 6, 2024: Journal of Echocardiography