ABSTRACT
In patients with suspected or evolving acute myocardial infarction, echocardiography facilitates diagnosis and differential diagnosis, detects complications (Chapter 3) and provides valuable information regarding the infarctrelated artery, functional infarct size, prognosis, and effects of therapy (Table 2.1). As a handy, widely available, and cost-effective imaging technique, echocardiography is commonly used in almost all patients with acute myocardial infarction for at least one of the aforementioned reasons. The collected information, whether assessed quantitatively or qualitatively, is of incomparable value for accurate estimation of risk and for guiding management. Even in patients traditionally considered to be at low risk, echocardiography may reveal unexpected left ventricular (LV) dysfunction because of an extensive dyssynergic zone. However, it should be emphasized that echocardiographic examination in unstable patients with ongoing chest pain in the emergency setting is a highly demanding
procedure that requires both excellent technical skills to obtain adequate images in a stressful environment and the ability to interpret findings quickly and accurately.
