University of Porto study finds cardiac ultrasound improves heart disease detection

A study led by researcher Jonathan dos Santos from the University of Porto Faculty of Medicine suggests that using cardiac point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) in primary care settings can identify structural heart disease that is otherwise invisible during standard examinations.

The research, which involved 196 patients with an average age of 66, demonstrated that POCUS can detect left ventricular hypertrophy nearly six times more effectively than a traditional electrocardiogram. By implementing this ultrasound technology in general and family medicine consultations, clinicians can better identify early signs of heart failure in patients presenting with symptoms like fatigue or shortness of breath, which are often misattributed to aging.

In addition to improving diagnostic accuracy, the study indicates that the use of POCUS in primary care can reduce the number of unnecessary echocardiograms being requested.