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Background: We prospectively explored prevalence of carotid disease (CD), its independent association with coronary artery disease (CAD) and outcome as well as potential impact on management, in patients undergoing stress echocardiography (SE) for new onset chest pain without known CAD., Methods: Accordingly, 591 consecutive patients referred for SE underwent carotid ultrasound. Carotid disease was defined as carotid intima-media thickness (C-IMT) >75th percentile for age and sex and/or presence of plaque., Results: Myocardial ischemia was demonstrated in only a minority (11%), but there was a high prevalence of CD (70%). Incidence of CD was similar in patients with and without ischemia (76% versus 69%, P = .26). Carotid data led to reclassification of Framingham risk score categories in 65% of patients as well as more than a third of negative SE patients potentially benefitting from primary prevention therapy. Of the 83 patients undergoing coronary arteriography, 59 (71%) demonstrated coronary atherosclerosis (any atheroma) and 33 (40%) CAD. Positive predictive value of SE for CAD was 56%, but presence of carotid plaque improved it to 70%. Although both CD and plaque showed association with CAD and revascularization, after adjustment for conventional risk factors, only carotid plaque maintained significant association (P = .024 and P = .023, respectively)., Conclusions: There is significantly higher prevalence of CD compared with myocardial ischemia in patients undergoing SE and carotid ultrasound for suspected CAD. This can lead to significant Framingham risk score reclassification with important primary prevention implications. Carotid plaque is superior to clinical assessment for the prediction of CAD and improves positive predictive value of SE for CAD in these patients., (Copyright © 2014 Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Chest pain is one of the most frequent reasons for presentation to the Emergency Department. The possible causes of chest pain are numerous and diverse, but importantly, several conditions, such as acute coronary syndrome, pulmonary embolism and aortic dissection, require urgent management and, in some cases, may be life-threatening. In such situations, a prompt and accurate diagnosis is vital. Two-dimensional echocardiography is a safe, painless and rapid test that can be performed in the Emergency Department and ensure a correct diagnosis as well as identify other complications and help institute appropriate management strategies swiftly. We review the current indications for urgent echocardiography in this article, with reference to international management guidelines where available, when managing patients with suspected acute coronary syndrome, acute pulmonary embolism, acute aortic dissection, acute pericarditis and trauma. We also discuss the differences between comprehensive and FOcussed Cardiac UltraSound (FOCUS) echocardiography studies, along with the associated quality control and medicolegal implications.