Pattern of Findings in Echocardiography of Cardiovascular Diseases in Geriatric Patients: A Case Study of a Nigerian Tertiary Hospital

Background: Echocardiography is a non-invasive technique that provides information about cardiac structure, function, and hemodynamics. Therefore, the knowledge of the echocardiographic pattern is imperative for the effective planning and management of patients with cardiovascular diseases. Unfortunately, there is a lack of data on the pattern of echocardiographic findings among these patients in our locality. Consequently, there is a need for a study aimed at describing the pattern of findings in echocardiography of cardiovascular diseases in geriatric patients. Methods: This retrospective study was conducted at the Federal Medical Centre, Asaba from January 2018 to March 2021. It involved 130 reports of cardiovascular disease patients selected using a random sampling technique. Only geriatric patients’ echocardiography reports were included in the study and reports with incomplete information were excluded. Data collected were the patient’s age, sex, indications and echocardiography findings. Results: Out of 130 reports collected, 70 (53.8%) were female while 60(46.2%) were male. The age range of 71-75 years was the most occurring (27.8%) while 96-100 years were the least (0.6%). Also, hypertensive heart disease was the most common indication (34.6%) for echocardiography examination and the most frequent echocardiographic finding (56.8%). Mitral stenosis was the least occurring finding (0.6%). Echocardiographic findings showed a negative correlation with gender but a positive correlation with age, although all are statistically insignificant (p > 0.05). Conclusions: Hypertensive heart disease represents the most prevalent indication for echocardiography and the most common echocardiographic finding.