Assessing volume status

Michael C Scott1, Haney Mallemat2

  • 1Emergency Medicine/Internal Medicine/Critical Care Program, University of Maryland Medical Center, 110 South Paca Street, 6th floor, Suite 200, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA.

Shock is a physiologic state associated with high morbidity and mortality rates. The clinician has several tools available to evaluate volume status. Each modality has its benefits and limitations but, to date, no one test can indicate with 100% accuracy which patients will be truly volume responsive. Although the search for the Holy Grail of a perfect intravascular monitor continues, we must remember the importance of early, aggressive, and goal-directed interventions for patients in shock. Finally, there is no substitute for the most important intervention-the frequent presence of the physician at the patient's bedside.

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