Key result
Focused cardiac ultrasound (FoCUS) provides rapid, goal-directed diagnostic information for non-cardiologists managing patients with dyspnea or non-post-traumatic hypotension.
Why the study?
With portable echocardiographic equipment becoming widespread, non-cardiologists need guidance on using focused cardiac ultrasound (FoCUS) and recognizing common pitfalls when managing complex patients.
Focused cardiac ultrasound (FoCUS) is a valuable bedside tool for non-cardiologists to rapidly assess patients, particularly in scenarios like dyspnea and hypotension.
May aid non-cardiologists in acute dyspnea or hypotension assessment; leaves open need for RCTs on outcomes and training.
As the availability of portable echocardiographic equipment is becoming more and more widespread, physicians can add a powerful tool to their bedside examination skills, thus helping them to more effectively face the growing complexity of patients admitted to internal medicine departments or the emergency room. Focused cardiac ultrasound (FoCUS) can be defined as a goal-directed, simplified, qualitative examination performed at the bedside using portable echocardiographic devices. FoCUS is not meant to be a substitute for a standard 2D color Doppler echocardiographic examination. Nevertheless, it can provide rapid and reliable information when limited to basic questions, even when performed by non-cardiologists with brief training. Furthermore, a focused cardiac ultrasound examination maximizes its diagnostic role when integrated with an ultrasonographic assessment of the lung, abdomen and deep veins, in a multisystem approach that is particularly dear to internists. In this article, we will focus on the specific targets of a focused cardiac ultrasound examination, as well as the most common pitfalls that can be encountered in ultrasonographic practice. We will also address the application of FoCUS in the management of two typical scenarios in clinical practice, such as dyspnea and non-post-traumatic hypotension.
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Casella et al. (2020) conducted a review in Dyspnea and non-post-traumatic hypotension. Focused cardiac ultrasound (FoCUS) was evaluated. Focused cardiac ultrasound (FoCUS) provides rapid, goal-directed diagnostic information for non-cardiologists managing patients with dyspnea or non-post-traumatic hypotension.
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