Abstract

Introduction: Acute respiratory failure is a life-threatening condition characterized by an inability to maintain normal levels of oxygen and/or carbon dioxide due to dysfunction of the respiratory system. Cardiac and respiratory systems are dependent. The study aimed to assess the prevalence of echocardiographic abnormalities in patients presented with Acute Respiratory Failure of various Etiology.

Materials and Methods: A total of 108 patients of Acute Respiratory Failure of various Lung diseases were enrolled in the present study. All patients were subjected to full medical history and clinical examination, chest radiography, ABG, complete blood count, 2D-echocardiography.

Results: 108 patients included in our study, 64(59.3%) were male and 44(40.7%) were female. Mean age was 61.28 ± 11.30 years. Out of 108 patients studied, 77 patients(71.3%) belongs to Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease(COPD) group, followed by 17 patients(15.7%) of pneumonia, followed by 4 patients(3.7%) of Obstructive Sleep Apnea(OSA), followed by 3 patients(2.8%) of Interstitial Lung Disease (ILD), followed by 2 patients(1.9%) of  Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome(ARDS) and 5 patients(4.6%) of other category, which includes case of bronchial asthma, bronchiectasis, fibrocavitatory disease and Rheumatic Heart Disease(RHD).

Out of 108 patients studied, Cor pulmonale was the most common cardiac abnormality present in 39 patients(36.1%), followed by Coronary Artery Disease(CAD) was present in 3 patients(2.8%), followed by Dilated Cardiomyopathy(DCMP) and Mild Pulmonary Artery Hypertention (PAH) was present in 2 patients(1.9%) each and one patient(0.9%) had RHD.

Conclusion: Echocardiography is helpful in early detection of cardiac complications and Cardiac disease in Patients presented with Aute Respiratory Failure.

Key Words: COPD, cor pulmonale, CAD, DCMP.