Alternative Cardiac Point-of-Care Ultrasound Views

Abstract

Point of care ultrasound (POCUS) and critical care echocardiography (CCE) is increasingly being used in intensive care units (ICUs). POCUS and CCE may be limited in some ICU patients because of inadequate information from standard echocardiographic windows. At the same time, data from POCUS and CCE in ICU may be critical to managing patients with cardiorespiratory failure. Alternative echocardiographic views done at the bedside by ICU practitioners may yield additional information or replace the missing data from the standard views. Information obtained from multiple echocardiographic views should be integrated and interpreted within the patient’s other clinical information.