Can a color Doppler echocardiogram detect vascular stenosis?

Stenosis of blood vessels generally refers to coronary artery stenosis, which is usually caused by atherosclerosis. Echocardiography typically cannot directly detect coronary artery stenosis, but it can assist in the diagnosis and treatment of this condition.

Coronary artery stenosis is primarily caused by the deposition of substances such as lipids or endothelial cell changes within the vessel walls, leading to arterial hardening and narrowing. It is a chronic disease resulting from multiple contributing factors. Diagnosis requires combining clinical symptoms with various tests, including electrocardiogram (ECG), myocardial enzyme panel, blood glucose levels, and echocardiography. In some cases, coronary angiography may also be necessary.

Although echocardiography can assess cardiac structure for damage and evaluate coronary blood flow and the extent of myocardial ischemia, the gold standard for definitive diagnosis of coronary artery disease remains coronary angiography, which accurately determines the degree of stenosis and helps guide treatment decisions.

Patients are advised to pay attention to dietary adjustments in daily life, limiting intake of high-cholesterol foods such as animal organs and fatty meats, and should quit smoking and avoid alcohol consumption.