title: The Role of Focused Echocardiography in Pediatric Intensive Care: A Critical Appraisal.
abstract: Echocardiography is a key tool for hemodynamic assessment in Intensive Care Units (ICU). Focused echocardiography performed by nonspecialist physicians has a limited scope, and the most relevant parameters assessed by focused echocardiography in Pediatric ICU are left ventricular systolic function, fluid responsiveness, cardiac tamponade and pulmonary hypertension. Proper ability building of pediatric emergency care physicians and intensivists to perform focused echocardiography is feasible and provides improved care of severely ill children and thus should be encouraged.
authors.affiliation: Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, Albert Einstein Hospital, Rua do Carreiro de Pedra 111, Apartamento 152 C, 04728-020 São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Heloisa Amaral
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Gaspar
authors.affiliation: Echocardiography Department, Albert Einstein Hospital, Rua Pintassilgo 458, Apartamento 53, 04514-032 São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Samira Saady
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Morhy
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003422:Critical Care / Q000379:methods*; D004452:Echocardiography / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male