This is a prospective, multi-centre cross-sectional study with a planned 18 month longitudinal component.
Participants will be recruited from patients referred for the first time for transthoracic echocardiography at the Royal United Hospitals Bath National Health Service (NHS) Foundation Trust, Royal Free Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals, Royal Papworth Hospital, and Golden Jubilee Hospital.
The investigators will prospectively recruit patients without a diagnosis of Pulmonary Hypertension.
Transthoracic echocardiographic (TTE) imaging will be performed in line with British Society of Echocardiography minimum dataset guidelines, and comprehensive right heart echocardiographic imaging and analysis will be performed following the British Society of Echocardiography recommendations for assessing right heart function, in addition to the IMPULSE algorithm;
A right ventricular free wall longitudinal strain value of less than -23%, or, right ventricular fractional area change (FAC) less than 35% in females/30% in males, in addition to a right ventricular isovolumetric relaxation time in excess of 73ms in patients with low/Intermediate probability of PH by current guidelines would categorise that patient as being IMPULSE positive.
