Investigating the Importance of Point-of-care Ultrasound for Rapid Diagnosis and Management of Critical Illness, Including Its Role in Guiding Procedures and Assessing Fluid Status at the Bedside
Published: 2024-07-08
Page: 327-333
Issue: 2024 - Volume 7 [Issue 2]
Ashraf AbdelAziz Elkamhawy *
Sheikh Khalifa Medical City, Abu Dhabi, UAE.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Point of care ultrasound commonly known as POCUS is now an essential tool in managing critical illness since it is involved in diagnosing several illnesses. POCUS enables clinicians to image patients at the bedside, making diagnosis more accurate and helping to guide procedures and assessment of fluid status, all of which are fundamental in treating critically ill patients. Yet, one of the most significant advantages of POCUS is that it helps to shorten the time needed to make a diagnosis. This is because, in emergency and critical care situations, time is one of the most valuable resources that can be called into play. For instance, in the traumatized patient the POCUS can easily diagnose serious conditions like hemorrhage or pneumothorax, and then the patient can be treated. Moreover, in the realm of cardiac diseases, POCUS is also helpful in diagnosing trauma patients. Bedside echocardiography can detect pericardial effusions, ventricular dysfunction, and fundamental valve disorders to inform appropriate treatments expeditiously. POCUS offers the advantages of rapid diagnosis, which is critical for making appropriate therapeutic decisions and warranting better outcomes of patient treatment. This paper will show that the use of POCUS in patient management has been linked with positive enhancements specifically in the critically ill populace. POCUS does influence patient care because it allows for quicker and more accurate diagnosis, safer execution of specific procedures, and an accurate evaluation of a patient’s fluid status. The analysis of the existing literature revealed that the application of POCUS in the ICU is effective in shortening the length of stay, decreasing the frequency of ordering of other imaging studies, and reducing the incidence of adverse outcomes from invasive procedures.
Keywords: Point-of-care ultrasound, POCUS, critical illness, emergencies, ICU, better patient outcomes
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References
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