The Cardiology Service of Hospital da Luz Setúbal now provides exercise-stress echocardiogram associated to cardiorespiratory proof (CPET) , being one of the first hospital centres in the country to offer this to clients. The combination allows two clinical evaluations in simultaneous: with the patient exercising, it is possible to analyse pulmonary gas exchange and peripheral muscle oxygen consumption, and an echocardiographic image of the heart is registered evaluating cardiac contraction, valvular hemodynamics, and ventricular-arterial coupling. The first exercise-stress echocardiogram with coupled cardiorespiratory proof was conducted at Hospital da Luz Setúbal by cardiologist Lígia Mendes , of the Echocardiography Laboratory team (in the photo above). The relevance of this exam lies in providing the physician information already integrated, with effective determination of the cause responsible for the exercise limitation (pulmonary, cardiac, or peripheral). Until present, characterizing stress limitation in detail implied invasive methods, with direct intracardiac pressure or pulmonary capillaries pressure measurement. The combination of echocardiogram and CPET offers such characterization by non-invasive methods, allowing to determine not only the patient’s actual functional capacity, but also the reasons for the limitation. Therefore, exercise-stress echocardiogram coupled with metabolic proof is particularly useful in the following cases: Dyspnoea (shortness of breath / difficulty breathing) of undetermined cause. Suspicion of cardiac insufficiency. Stress pulmonary hypertension. Need to clarify and discern between cardiac limitation, pulmonary limitation, and peripheral limitation / deconditioning. The performance of an exercise-stress echocardiogram with coupled cardiorespiratory proof requires prescription by the attending physician. By providing this exam, Hospital da Luz Setúbal fulfils its commitment to offer the population of the region the most advanced technological means and specialized clinical professionals in healthcare.
