Faculty of Medicine, Center for Medical Education and Clinical Training, Kindai University, 377-2 Ohnohigasi, Osakasayama, Osaka, 589-8511, Japan.
Department of Heart Failure and Transplantation, National Cerebral and Cardiovascular Center, 5‑7‑1 Fujishiro‑dai, Suita Osaka, 565‑8565, Japan.
J Echocardiogr. 2024 Mar;22(1):1-15. doi: 10.1007/s12574-024-00643-1. Epub 2024 Feb 15.
Stress echocardiography has been one of the most promising methods for the diagnosis of ischemic heart disease, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, and pulmonary hypertension. The Japanese Society of Echocardiography produced practical guidance for the implementation of stress echocardiography in 2018. At that time, stress echocardiography was not yet widely disseminated in Japan; therefore, the 2018 practical guidance for the implementation of stress echocardiography included a report on stress echocardiography and a specific protocol to promote its use at many institutions in Japan in the future. And now, an era of renewed interest and enthusiasm surrounding the diagnosis and treatment of valvular heart disease and heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) has come, which are driven by emerging trans-catheter procedures and new recommended guideline-directed medical therapy. Based on the continued evidence of stress echocardiography, the new practical guideline that describes the safe and effective methodology of stress echocardiography is now created by the Guideline Development Committee of the Japanese Society of Echocardiography and is designed to expand the use of stress echocardiography for valvular heart disease and HFpEF, as well as ischemic heart disease, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, and pulmonary hypertension. The readers are encouraged to perform stress echocardiography which will enhance the diagnosis and management of these patients.
超声心动图负荷试验一直是诊断缺血性心脏病、肥厚型心肌病和肺动脉高压的最有前途的方法之一。日本超声心动图学会于 2018 年制定了实施超声心动图负荷试验的实用指南。当时，超声心动图负荷试验在日本尚未广泛普及；因此，2018 年实施超声心动图负荷试验的实用指南包括了一份关于超声心动图负荷试验的报告，以及一个具体的方案，旨在未来在日本的许多机构推广其使用。如今，随着经导管介入治疗新技术和新的推荐指南导向的药物治疗的出现，瓣膜性心脏病和射血分数保留的心力衰竭（HFpEF）的诊断和治疗重新引起了人们的兴趣和热情。在超声心动图负荷试验持续证据的基础上，日本超声心动图学会指南制定委员会制定了新的实用指南，描述了超声心动图负荷试验的安全有效的方法学，旨在扩大超声心动图负荷试验在瓣膜性心脏病、HFpEF 以及缺血性心脏病、肥厚型心肌病和肺动脉高压中的应用。鼓励读者进行超声心动图负荷试验，以提高对这些患者的诊断和管理水平。
