Cardiac Point-of-care Using Ultrasound

: Patients with cardiac disease have high mortality rates, mainly owing to shock. Therefore, evaluation of cardiac function is one of the most challenging issues in the intensive and critical care unit. Cardiac point-of-care tests using ultrasound, such as focus assessed transthoracic echo (FATE) and rapid ultrasound in shock (RUSH). are useful for diagnosis and initial care of such patients. The author will introduce first a basic FATE protocol of how to scan from position 1-4, including subcostal 4-chamber, apical 4-chamber, parasternal long and short axis, and pleural scanning. A simple measurement method is described to evaluate the left and right ventricular function using mitral annular plane systolic excursion (MAPSE), mitral septal separation (MSS), and tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion (TAPSE). Next the RUSH protocol is discussed, which is useful for evaluation and care of patients with hypovolemic, cardiogenic, obstructive, or distributive shock. RUSH involves evaluation of the three main components : the pump (cardiac function, volume, pericardial function), the trunk (inferior vena cava, pleural fluid, lining), and the pipes (abdominal aneurysm, aortic dissection, deep vein thrombosis).