Definity: Seguro e ausente.

Safety of echocardiographic contrast in hospitalized patients with pulmonary hypertension: a multi-center study^†

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 Echocardiographic contrast (EC) improves the diagnostic accuracy of suboptimal echocardiograms. In October 2007, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) placed a black box warning on the label of the perflutren-based agents Definity and Optison, contraindicating their use in patients with pulmonary hypertension (PHT) and unstable cardiopulmonary status, after serious cardiopulmonary reactions occurred in temporal relation to EC administration. In 2008 and 2011, the FDA revised the black box warning allowing their use in this same population. However, limited data exist regarding the safety profile of these agents in patients with PHT.

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The study group included 1513 patients (age 69 ± 14 years, 55% males, BMI 33 ± 9 kg/m²), of which 911 (60%) had mild PHT, 515 (34%) had moderate PHT, and 87 (6%) had severe PHT. 

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The incidence of adverse events in all subgroups was rare (0.002%) 

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Conclusion The use of the EC agent Definity is safe in hospitalized patients with PHT.

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¹Division of Cardiology, St. Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital Center, University Hospital of Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, 1111 Amsterdam Avenue, New York, NY 10025, USA

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Pelas razões acima e por muitas outras que colocam o ecocardiograma em segundo plano em relação aos outros métodos de imagem, o blog EchoTalk solicita o empenho do D.I.C e de todos os ecocardiografistas para a volta da venda de microbolhas no país.

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