Indications

Indications

Cardiopulmonary Symptoms
  • Chest pain
  • Dyspnea or unexplained shortness of breath
  • Tachycardia or new arrhythmia or palpitations
  • Pre-syncope or syncope
  • Hypotension

 

Signs of Shock or Poor Perfusion
  • Altered mental status
  • Delayed capillary refill, cool extremities, or weak pulses
  • Unexplained lactic acidosis or elevated lactate
  • Hypotension or narrow pulse pressure
  • Signs of hypoxia or cyanosis

 

Critical Illness / Resuscitation Scenarios
  • Unexplained hemodynamic instability or acute respiratory distress
  • Cardiac arrest or peri-arrest evaluation
  • Sepsis or septic shock (to differentiate distributive vs cardiogenic components)
  • Trauma patients with suspected cardiac dysfunction (e.g., contusion, or tamponade physiology)

 

Therapy Response and Monitoring
  • Assessment of cardiac function before and after fluid resuscitation or inotropic support
  • Ongoing monitoring of LV function in PICU or ED settings

 

Risk or Treatment-Related
  • Patients exposed to cardiotoxic medications (e.g. overdose)

 

Equipment

  • Ultrasound machine
  • Phased array ultrasound probe
  • Gel

Patient Position

Supine or left lateral decubitus position

 

Emergency Medicine VS Cardiology/ICU Probe Convention

While cardiac function can be assessed in either the Emergency Medicine or Cardiology/IUC probe conventions, this module will present images and guidance using the Cardiology/ICU convention to align with standard echocardiography practices.