Key result
FoCUS accelerates ED management of ACS by facilitating diagnosis and detecting mechanical complications.
Why the study?
While ECG and cardiac biomarkers are standard for acute coronary syndrome, the role of focused cardiac ultrasound in facilitating diagnostic evaluation, disposition, and accelerating management in the emergency department needed synthesis.
Does Focused Cardiac Ultrasound (FoCUS) accelerate the management of patients with Acute Coronary Syndrome (ACS) presenting to the Emergency Department?
Does Focused Cardiac Ultrasound (FoCUS) accelerate the management of patients with Acute Coronary Syndrome (ACS) presenting to the Emergency Department?
FoCUS serves as a crucial bedside tool in the ED to accelerate the diagnosis and management of ACS, particularly by identifying ischemic regions and mechanical complications.
May support FoCUS integration in ED for ACS; leaves open need for prospective trials on outcomes.
Focused Cardiac Ultrasound (FoCUS) is a targeted bedside imaging modality with an established role in the management of critically ill patients. Acute Coronary Syndrome (ACS) is a common cause of presentation to the Emergency Department (ED), and although electrocardiography (ECG) and cardiac biomarkers are the cornerstones for its diagnosis, FoCUS may facilitate diagnostic evaluation and disposition of patients in different levels of care. Initially, FoCUS plays a crucial diagnostic role through the identification of Regional Wall Motion Abnormalities (RWMAs), enabling direct visualization of the ischemic region and corroboration of ECG findings. Moreover, in patients with ACS complicated by cardiogenic shock, FoCUS is indispensable for determining the extent of ischemia and detecting mechanical complications, including ventricular septal or free wall rupture, or papillary muscle rupture. Likewise, FoCUS aids in the differential diagnosis of patients with ECG abnormalities mimicking ACS. This comprehensive review synthesizes the most recent evidence on the role of FoCUS in accelerating the management of patients with ACS presenting to the ED.
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Karaolia et al. (2026) conducted a review in Acute Coronary Syndrome (ACS). Focused Cardiac Ultrasound (FoCUS) was evaluated. Focused Cardiac Ultrasound (FoCUS) accelerates the management of patients with Acute Coronary Syndrome in the Emergency Department by facilitating diagnosis and detecting mechanical complications.
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