Speckle-Tracking Echocardiography – Ready for Use in Acute Coronary Syndrome?

Population aging and the increase of risk factors such as arterial hypertension and diabetes, mainly associated with obesity, have greatly contributed to increased hospitalizations of patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS).^, Patients with ACS may have different prognosis and, for this reason, risk stratification of ACS, including unstable angina (UA), is mandatory.^, In this context, anatomical definition of culprit artery using coronary cineangiography and percutaneous intervention has been the first choice for patients at moderate-to-high risk. Doppler echocardiography has a key role at the emergency room to assess left ventricle function and to rule out other conditions that may influence the diagnosis.

Recently, the use of two-dimensional speckle-tracking echocardiography (2D-STE) for measurement of myocardial strain has gained importance for its applicability in the clinical practice. Its high sensitivity to measure systolic function and identify left ventricular subclinical dysfunction, as compared with left ventricular ejection fraction, extends its applicability and makes it a test of additional value in many areas of cardiology.

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