ELECTROCARDIOGRAPHIC AND ECHOCARDIOGRAPHIC CHANGES IN PATIENTS OF CHRONIC OBSTRUCTIVE PULMONARY DISEASE

Volume : VII, Issue : IV, April - 2018

Mehrotra Aditi, Rawal M P, Agarwal Amresh, Mehrotra M K, Johri Sharat

Introduction– Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is a common, preventable and treatable disease. Cardiovascular disease accounts

for approximately 50% of all hospitalization and nearly one third of all deaths, if forced expiratory volume in one second (FEVI) > 50% of

predicted.3 In this study we made an attempt to see the importance of ECG and echocardiography in the evaluation of COPD patients and early

recognition of complications.

Materials and Methods– 100 Patients were included in the study. Patients were subjected to Spirometry and diagnosis of COPD was confirmed.

Electrocardiography and Echocardigraphy was done. ECG was evaluated for Rate, Axis deviation, ‘P‘ pulmonale, Evidence for RVH, Low voltage

complexes and RBBB. Color Doppler Echocardiography was doneto evaluate Tricuspid regurgitation, Pulmonary artery hyp ertension and

Regional Wall Motion Abnormality.

Results– It has been observed in our study the commonest electrocardiographic finding was P pulmonale followed by right axis deviation.These

electrocardiographic changes correlate with the severity of COPD as per GOLD guidelines. The commonest echocardiographic finding was

Pulmonary Hypertension followed by Right Ventricular Hypertrophy. The patients of severe and very severe group had presence of right

ventricular failure. In few patients of asymptomatic COPD ischemic changes were observed in ECG.

Conclusion– The Commonest ECG finding in our study was found to be P pulmonale followed by right axis deviation. The early assessment of

ischemic heart disease in patients of COPD may prevent fatal complications by providing appropriate treatment. The commonest

echocardiographic finding was Pulmonary Hypertension followed by Right Ventricular Hypertrophy