None invasive and minimally invasive hemodynamic monitoring in critically ill patients in the emergency department

EN Noninvasive and minimally invasive hemodynamic monitoring systems are used increasingly in emergency departments to provide adequate tissue oxygenation in critically ill patients. Such monitoring assists in the differential diagnosis of shock, the optimization of treatment and assessment of its effects, and the prevention of complications during care. Recent years have seen the development of noninvasive monitors that measure cardiac output continuously by means of electrodes applied to the skin or spectrophotometric sensors. Minimally invasive systems connected to a peripheral artery catheter have also been developed. Conventional hemodynamic monitoring methods alone have sometimes proven inadequate or inefficient in this setting; an example is the measurement of central venous pressure. The clinician therefore needs to understand the advantages and limitations of the different systems for estimating cardiac output before choosing a monitor. Resuscitation protocols that facilitate the fastest possible recovery in emergency care can be established based on the combination of traditional variables, hemodynamic variables, and anatomical and functional data provided by ultrasonography.