Introduction
- Cardiac Ultrasound is a non-invasive adjunct in the evaluation and management of shock by those involved in critical care
- Ultrasound has value in evaluating volume status and cardiac function
- It can also assist in identifying different causes of shock when combined with e-FAST (extended Focused Abdominal Sonography in Trauma) or a RUSH study (Rapid Ultrasound for Shock and Hypotension)
- With falling costs in machines and increasing availability, these skills may be invaluable to those working in resource poor environments without access to invasive haemo-dynamic monitoring equipment
Find a suggested algorithm
(remember always to correlate and reconcile ultrasound findings with the clinical picture)
