EGLS: Echo-guided life support

Abstract

The primary challenge in the initial assessment of a patient with undifferentiated shock is to quickly identify and treat any reversible causes of shock. Bedside ultrasound provides real-time information that can assist with the achievement of this goal; as a result, it has gained widespread popularity in the field of critical care and emergency medicine. Many researchers have suggested that the use of a simple ultrasound approach to guide the management of these patients would reduce the morbidity associated with delayed or inappropriate treatment and would result in better outcomes. With the goal of optimizing early management of critically ill patients, we describe in this article an algorithm based on simple clinical questions that combines the information provided by lung, cardiac and inferior vena cava ultrasonography. The advantages of this approach, in addition to efficiency, include easy reproducibility and standardization for teaching purposes and clinical trials.