A Cross Sectional Study of Echocardiographic Finding in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Patient and Its co-relation with the Severity of Disease

Background:- COPD is associated with significant extra pulmonary (systemic) effects among which cardiac manifestations are most common, including those of the right ventricle, left ventricle, and pulmonary blood vessels.  Early diagnoses and intervention for cardiac comorbidities would reduce mortalities in COPD patients.

Methodology:- It is a cross-sectional descriptive type of study conducted in 69 patients of stable COPD in the department of pulmonary medicine, Kamala Nehru Chest Hospital, Jodhpur, with an Aim  To assess the cardiac changes secondary to COPD  by echocardiography & its association with the severity of COPD using GOLD guidelines.

Results:- Echocardiographic findings were normal in 22 out of 69 subjects ie 31.88% .Abnormal echocardiography findings  were Tricuspid regurgitation  in 46 (66.66%), Pulmonary hypertension  in 38 (55.07 %) cases , Cor pulmonale 17/69 (24.63%) and RA & RV dilatation 20/69 (28.98%).Most common echocardiographic findings was Tricuspid regurgitation (TR) Which was observed in 46/69cases (66.6%) among whom PAH in 38/46 cases (82.6%) in which prevalence of mild, moderate & severe PAH – 18/38(47.3%),12/38(31.5%),8/38 (21.05%)respectively.

Conclusion:- Our study demonstrated Echocardiography helps in early detection of cardiac comorbities in COPD patients and the prevalence of PAH , TR, CorPulmonale and RA and RV dilatation are significantly more in severe and very severe COPD patients. 

Author(s): Lokesh Verma 

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