Right heart acoustic contrast examination: let you see it at a glance!

What is right heart acoustic angiography?

Right heart echocardiography, also known as right heart angiography, is a commonly used diagnostic technique for cardiovascular diseases. It is non-invasive and painless.

Cardiac color ultrasound is simpler and more convenient, so why choose right heart angiography?

For some heart problems, such as patent foramen ovale, the right atrium pressure is generally lower than the left atrium during cardiac ultrasound examination, which only shows a slight shunt, and most of the shunt is from left to right, which is difficult to detect. However, the Valsalva maneuver of right heart angiography or severe coughing can increase the instantaneous pressure of the right atrium and increase the pressure difference between the right atrium and the left atrium, which can improve the diagnosis rate of heart problems.

Who is suitable for right heart angiography?

Right heart angiography is recommended in the following situations:

1. Those who have suspected right-to-left shunt in the heart;

2. Patients suspected of having thrombosis;

3. People suffering from migraine;

4. Patients with latent stroke, etc.

Warm reminder: This examination is not recommended for the following patients

Patients with severe coronary heart disease, angina pectoris or myocardial infarction, severe heart failure, severe anemia, a history of vascular embolism or hypercoagulable state, severe cerebral infarction or unconsciousness, and unable to cooperate with the examination.

How do patients cooperate during the examination?

1. A 20G intravenous catheter is required in the patient's left elbow;

2. The patient lies on the examination bed at 90° on the left side and is connected to a simple electrocardiogram;

3. Perform the Valsalva maneuver under the doctor's instructions (the nurse will assist the patient in training in advance).

Isn’t it really that simple?

How to perform right heart angiography? Leave it to the nurse!

Professional care makes you relaxed and happy without panic

1. Before the examination, the nursing staff will conduct a comprehensive psychological assessment on you and provide education: inform you of the basic operating procedures, purpose of the examination, precautions, etc., to effectively avoid poor cooperation due to emotional tension and fear.

2. During the examination, a small number of patients may experience discomfort symptoms such as needle phobia, blood phobia, accelerated heart rate, unstable blood pressure, etc. The nursing staff will prepare monitors, oxygen inhalation equipment, etc., closely observe the patient's vital signs, deal with problems in a timely manner, report to the ultrasound physician in a timely manner and assist in the treatment, and record the angiography results to ensure your safety.

3. After the examination, the nursing staff will ask you if you have chest tightness, palpitations, shortness of breath, nausea, dizziness and other discomforts. After confirming that you have no obvious discomfort, the intravenous needle will be removed and pressure will be applied to stop bleeding. It should be noted that some patients may feel dizzy or unbalanced when sitting up in bed, so you need to be especially careful when getting up and walking, and the nursing staff will also provide you with full assistance.

So, do you understand about right heart acoustic angiography?