[Echocardiography - hemodynamically focused echocardiography]

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Medical Imaging
• Critical Care Medicine

Background:

• Hemodynamic instability presents diagnostic challenges in critical care.
• Focused cardiac ultrasound, including TTE and TOE, is increasingly utilized.
• International evidence-based recommendations guide its application.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose a structured approach for the combined use of TTE and TOE.
• To enhance diagnostic capabilities in hemodynamically unstable patients.
• To integrate focused cardiac ultrasound into clinical decision-making.

Main Methods:

• Review and synthesis of existing international evidence-based recommendations.
• Development of a complementary application strategy for TTE and TOE.
• Emphasis on problem-oriented, question-driven ultrasound examinations.

Main Results:

• A framework for complementary TTE and TOE use in unstable patients is presented.
• The approach prioritizes answering specific clinical questions efficiently.
• Focused cardiac ultrasound serves as a targeted diagnostic tool.

Conclusions:

• Complementary TTE and TOE can effectively address clinical questions in unstable patients.
• This approach optimizes the utility of focused cardiac ultrasound.
• It complements, rather than replaces, comprehensive cardiological evaluations.