PROGNOSTIC ROLE OF ADVANCED ECHOCARDIOGRAPHY IN CARDIOVASCULAR RISK ASSESSMENT: INSIGHTS FROM A COMMUNITY-BASED SCREENING PROGRAM
Fjolla Zhubi Bakija
Cardiovascular Medicine and Research Division
Dr. Merkely Béla
SE Városmajori Szív- és Érgyógyászati Klinika Nagy előadóterem
2026-04-22 16:00:00
Cardiovascular Disorders: Physiology and Medicine of Ischaemic Circulatory Diseases
Dr. Merkely Béla
Dr. Kovács Attila és Dr. Fábián Alexandra
Dr. Csósza Györgyi
Dr. Nógrádi Ágnes
Dr. Ungvári Zoltán
Dr. Nardai Sándor
Dr. Ágoston Gergely
Accurate cardiovascular risk assessment is pivotal in preventive cardiology, as it enables early
identification of individuals at elevated risk of CVD. While traditional risk prediction models have
proven useful, they bear notable limitations, particularly in stratifying risk among low-risk
individuals and those with subclinical diseases.
Obesity remains a well-established risk factor for CVD, yet assessing cardiovascular risk in
individuals with obesity is particularly challenging. These insights have spurred interest in more
advanced diagnostic tools that enable the unmasking of early cardiovascular dysfunction in this
population. Risk prediction is similarly complex in the elderly, where physiological aging and the
cumulative burden of comorbidities undermine the accuracy of traditional scoring systems.
Echocardiography has become a cornerstone in cardiovascular diagnostics. While traditional
markers such as LVEF remain the standard for systolic function, novel approaches such as STEderived
GLS and MW analysis offer improved sensitivity to detect subclinical cardiac dysfunction.
In addition to systolic function, STE-based assessment of LA mechanics has gained attention as
an early indicator of diastolic dysfunction.
Our studies have demonstrated that PALS is a strong and independent predictor of long-term
outcomes in older adults, beyond traditional markers such as LV GLS, carotid intima-media
thickness, coronary calcium score, and the Framingham risk score.
Furthermore, GWI was shown to be a robust predictor of all-cause mortality in low-risk individuals
across different stages of obesity, reinforcing the value of MW in detecting early myocardial
dysfunction and improving long-term prognostic risk assessment.
In conclusion, our findings support the clinical utility of advanced echocardiographic techniques,
including STE-derived left atrial longitudinal strain and myocardial work indices as valuable tools
to improve cardiovascular risk assessment, especially in populations where conventional models
are limited, such as the elderly and individuals with obesity.
