Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 1, 2026
08:45
Echocardiographic Assessment Using Subxiphoid-Only Examination for Hypotensive Patients
Published on: April 18, 2025
Hand-carried echocardiography by hospitalists: a randomized trial
Brian P Lucas1, Carolina Candotti, Bosko Margeta
1Department of Medicine, Stroger Hospital of Cook County and Rush Medical College, Chicago, IL, USA. brian_lucas@rush.edu
The American Journal of Medicine
|June 14, 2011
Summary
Hand-carried echocardiography for hospitalists did not significantly reduce patient length of stay in general medicine. However, it did shorten stays for heart failure patients and influenced management decisions.
Area of Science:
- Point-of-care diagnostics
- Clinical decision support
- Hospital medicine
Background:
- Hospitalists can utilize hand-carried echocardiography for rapid point-of-care assessments.
- Limited data exists on the impact of hand-carried echocardiography on patient outcomes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the effect of hand-carried echocardiography on length of stay for general medicine inpatients.
- To assess changes in management and diagnostic accuracy associated with hand-carried echocardiography.
Main Methods:
- An unblinded, parallel-group randomized trial was conducted with general medicine inpatients.
- Participants were assigned to care guided by hand-carried echocardiography or usual care.
- Length of stay was the primary outcome measure.
Main Results:
- No statistically significant difference in length of stay was observed between groups.
- Care guided by hand-carried echocardiography significantly reduced length of stay for heart failure patients.
- Hospitalists altered management in 37% of cases due to hand-carried echocardiography findings.
Conclusions:
- Hand-carried echocardiography does not meaningfully impact length of stay for unselected general medicine patients.
- The effect of hand-carried echocardiography on overall care quality remains to be studied.
Related Concept Videos
01:17Imaging Studies for Cardiovascular System I:Echocardiography
Cardiac imaging studies encompass a wide range of noninvasive and minimally invasive techniques designed to visualize the heart's structure and function in detail. One such technique is echocardiography, which uses high-frequency ultrasound waves to produce detailed images of the heart, known as echocardiograms.
Indications: Echocardiography is utilized to diagnose heart failure, valve disorders, and myocardial infarction. It also assesses cardiac structures' size, shape, and motion, evaluates...
Indications: Echocardiography is utilized to diagnose heart failure, valve disorders, and myocardial infarction. It also assesses cardiac structures' size, shape, and motion, evaluates...
01:23Holter Monitor: 24-Hour Monitoring
Holter monitoring is a continuous electrocardiography (ECG) recording that tracks the heart's electrical activity over an extended period, generally 24 to 48 hours. This noninvasive diagnostic tool detects irregular heart rhythms that may not be captured during a standard ECG performed in a clinical setting.DeviceThe Holter monitor is a portable, small device connected to several electrodes on the patient's chest. These electrodes detect the heart's electrical signals and transmit them to the...
01:20Imaging Studies for Cardiovascular System II:Types of Echocardiography
Echocardiography plays a role in assessing cardiac health and detecting heart conditions, with various types providing critical insights for diagnosis and treatment.
Types of Echocardiography
Transthoracic Echocardiography (TTE)
TTE is the most common type of echocardiogram which involves placing a transducer on the patient's chest, emitting sound waves to create heart images. TTE is invaluable for evaluating the heart's size, structure, and motion, making it particularly useful for diagnosing...
Types of Echocardiography
Transthoracic Echocardiography (TTE)
TTE is the most common type of echocardiogram which involves placing a transducer on the patient's chest, emitting sound waves to create heart images. TTE is invaluable for evaluating the heart's size, structure, and motion, making it particularly useful for diagnosing...
01:30Pulse rhythm
Pulse rhythm refers to the pattern of pulsations within specific intervals, offering valuable insights into the regularity or irregularity of the heart's beats as observed through the pattern of pulsation within specific intervals. A regular pulse exhibits a consistent heart rate with uniform waveforms and pulsation force, variations of which can be classified as normal, weak, or bounding.
Conversely, an irregular pulse pattern is termed dysrhythmia, stemming from disruptions in cardiac muscle...
Conversely, an irregular pulse pattern is termed dysrhythmia, stemming from disruptions in cardiac muscle...
01:21Cardiac Catheterization II: Right Heart Catheterization
Right Heart Catheterization: An OverviewRight heart catheterization is an invasive diagnostic procedure that measures right-sided cardiac and pulmonary artery pressures, calculates cardiac output, and identifies intracardiac shunts. It provides detailed hemodynamic data essential for diagnosing and managing various cardiovascular conditions, such as pulmonary hypertension.Access SitesCommon access sites for right heart catheterization include the internal jugular vein in the neck region, the...