Cardiac Ultrasound in the Intensive Care Unit: A Review

Transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) is an incredibly valuable tool in today’s emergency rooms and intensive care units (ICUs). It has the ability to provide a complete evaluation of the structure and function of the heart, the valves, stroke volume, ejection fraction, and much more. Previous academic studies have also determined that point-of-care TTE done by non-cardiologist physicians can also provide higher accuracy in patient assessment and management, with potential prognostic impact by assessing the severity of cardiac dysfunction and response to treatment. The aim of this review article is to examine further these point-of-care evaluations, what they entail, their benefits, and where further research would better our own understanding.