Guidelines for the Echocardiographic Assessment of the Right Heart in Adults and Special Considerations in Pulmonary Hypertension

The American Society of Echocardiography (ASE) published updated guidelines on March 7, 2025, titled “Guidelines for the Echocardiographic Assessment of the Right Heart in Adults and Special Considerations in Pulmonary Hypertension.”

Key points from these guidelines include:

• Redefinition of Pulmonary Hypertension (PH): PH is now defined as a mean pulmonary arterial pressure (mPAP) greater than 20 mm Hg, based on evidence that even mildly elevated mPAP can lead to significant adverse clinical events.

• Need for Consistent Assessment: The guidelines highlight that systematic assessment of the right heart has been inconsistent, often due to a predominant focus on the left heart, limited familiarity with right heart ultrasound techniques, and a lack of reference data defining normal right heart size and function.