Abstract
To test the hypothesis that hand-carried ultrasound (HCU) may influence patient treatment on consultative cardiology rounds, 235 patients who were hospitalized (aged 65 ± 10 years) were studied. First, routine treatment decisions regarding diagnostic workup and therapy were made from patient history, physical examination, 12-lead electrocardiogram, and chart data. Second, a goal-directed HCU study was performed in <10 minutes focusing on left ventricular global and regional function, wall thickness, and presence of pericardial effusion, followed by a reassessment of treatment decisions. HCU data influenced treatment decisions in 149 patients (63%); 50% had a change in medical therapy and 22% had a change in their diagnostic workup (most with changes in both). In all, 12 patients (5%) had an immediate change in the decision for cardiac catheterization or pericardiocentesis. Overall agreement for the above findings with subsequent full-size system echocardiography ranged from 92% to 100% (κ 0.91-0.96). Goal-directed HCU has the potential to influence bedside patient treatment decisions and expedite health care.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 50-55 |
| Number of pages | 6 |
| Journal | Journal of the American Society of Echocardiography |
| Volume | 17 |
| Issue number | 1 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Jan 2004 |
All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes
- Radiology Nuclear Medicine and imaging
- Cardiology and Cardiovascular Medicine