Published in:
Open Access 01-12-2018 | Editorial
What is new in critical care echocardiography?
Published in: Critical Care | Issue 1/2018
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Critical care echocardiography (CCE) is performed and interpreted by the intensivist at the bedside to help in the diagnostic work-up and to guide therapy for patients with acute circulatory and respiratory failure. Due to the statement of educational standards, the validation of echocardiography against alternative hemodynamic monitoring tools, and continuous technological improvement, CCE is increasingly being considered as an unparalleled technique to hemodynamically assess critically ill patients. Extremely active research in the field of CCE has resulted in recent improvements which warrant comment (Table 1).
Table 1
Main recent proceedings in the use of CCE
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New developments in echocardiography in the critically ill
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1. CCE is currently recommended as the first-line modality to assess patients with shock
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2. CEE relies on basic and advanced levels of competence corresponding to distinct standardized educational requirements
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3. CCE guides the front-line intensivist in assessing fluid requirement
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4. CCE is currently recommended for the diagnosis of acute respiratory distress syndrome
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5. CCE uses a simple yet robust and sound diagnostic approach
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6. CCE becomes a monitoring rather than a diagnostic tool
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7. CCE benefits from continuous technological refinements (e.g., speckle tracking)
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8. CCE is ideally suited for guiding tailored management of unstable patients
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