title: Cardiac echocardiography.
abstract: Focused cardiac echocardiography has become a critical diagnostic tool for the emergency physician and critical care physician caring for patients in shock and following trauma to the chest, and those presenting with chest pain and shortness of breath,. Cardiac echocardiography allows for immediate diagnosis of pericardial effusions and cardiac tamponade, evaluation of cardiac contractility and volume status, and detection of right ventricular strain possibly seen with a significant pulmonary embolus. This article addresses how to perform cardiac echocardiography using the standard windows, how to interpret a focused goal-directed examination, and how to apply this information clinically at the bedside.
authors.affiliation: Division of Emergency Medicine, Department of Surgery, Stanford University Medical Center, 300 Pasteur Drive, Alway Building M121, Stanford, CA 94305, USA. Electronic address: pperera1@mac.com.
authors.forename: Phillips
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Perera
authors.forename: Viveta
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Lobo
authors.forename: Sarah R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.forename: Laleh
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gharahbaghian
mesh_terms: D002305:Cardiac Tamponade / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D004452:Echocardiography / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D010490:Pericardial Effusion / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D019095:Point-of-Care Systems; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D011655:Pulmonary Embolism / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D012769:Shock / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D014463:Ultrasonography / Q000592:standards / Q000639:trends
keywords: Bedside echocardiography; Cardiac contractility; Cardiac echocardiography; Cardiac tamponade; Cardiac ultrasound; Focused echocardiography; Pericardial effusion; Pulmonary embolism