cardiovascular disorders
Cardiovascular Examination
Point of Care Ultrasonography (POCUS)
(See also Echocardiography .) Point-of-care ultrasonography (POCUS) is a complement to the physical examination that uses small, inexpensive, battery-operated ultrasound devices operated by the clinician at the bedside. Both 2-dimensional and color Doppler techniques can be used. It has been shown that a brief, focused ultrasound examination can improve detection of various cardiac anomalies and confirm findings from physical examination or sometimes make a diagnosis in the absence of physical findings. Common uses include identification of ( Point-of-care ultrasound references ) Left ventricular systolic dysfunction (with global or regional wall motion abnormality) Left ventricular regional wall motion abnormality (with reduced or normal systolic function) Elevated left heart filling pressures (enlarged left atrium) Valvular abnormalities Pulmonary edema (vertical B-lines in the lung fields) Pleural effusion Systemic venous congestion (dilated inferior vena cava) Pericardial effusion and cardiac tamponade Adequate training in doing brief ultrasound examinations is essential to ensure high image quality and accurate interpretation ( Point-of-care ultrasound references ). Importantly, POCUS should be used to augment rather than replace the physical examination. 