Context

In this session the learner will be introduced to the basic concepts of echocardiography as it related to critical life support situations.

Bedside, focused or point-of-care sonography (PoCUS) using portable machines is now well established in emergency medicine. Recent improvements in ultrasound technology mean that machines are smaller and are able to deliver higher quality images than ever before. Many machines have echocardiography capability, and emergency physicians (EPs) are finding this aids information gathering in many clinical settings.

Focused echocardiography can also be used during a cardiac arrest and fits into the ALS algorithm during a pulse check. A designated sonographer can perform a rapid assessment and obtain information which can point to correctable reversible pathology.

Evidence suggests that EPs are able to master the skills of basic echocardiography sufficiently to improve patient care in the resuscitation setting.[1]