Acute pulmonary embolism (PE) represents the sudden obstruction of part or all of the pulmonary arterial vasculature, usually caused by embolization of thrombus from the deep veins within the lower limbs and pelvis. It may also be caused by embolism…
Introduction The clinical course of both acute rheumatic fever (ARF) and rheumatic heart disease (RHD) may be complicated by acute life-threatening conditions. This chapter will focus on: (1) the clinical evaluation, diagnosis, and management of acute heart failure (AHF); (2)…
Overview Echocardiography provides intensivists with a means of rapidly assessing the anatomy and function of the heart in intensive care unit (ICU) patients with hemodynamic failure, thus guiding management. Since echocardiography is a key skill for frontline intensivists, developing effective…
Overview The incidence of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest is estimated to be 50 to 55 per 100,000 in the United States. When a primary electrical cause of cardiac arrest is found, definitive treatment is directed toward reversing the rhythm disturbance (cardioversion,…
Overview After development of an esophageal stethoscope, the first transesophageal echocardiographic (TEE) equipment provided simple M-mode images to measure left ventricular (LV) dimensions. First used for intraoperative monitoring of LV function and intracardiac air more than 30 years ago, TEE…
Overview Echocardiography is one of the most powerful diagnostic and monitoring tools available to the modern intensivist. Although its potential was first recognized more than 20 years ago, only recently has it become a mainstream imaging application in the intensive…