Journal of ultrasound in medicine : official journal of the American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Integrated cardiopulmonary sonography: a useful tool for assessment of acute pulmonary edema in the intensive care unit.
Bedside sonography has become a popular method of assessment of critically ill patients with shock and dyspnea. This study evaluated the usefulness of integrated cardiopulmonary sonography for assessment of acute pulmonary edema. ⋯ Integrated cardiopulmonary sonography resulted in faster and better-informed clinical decision making, shortened the time to diagnosis of the pulmonary edema etiology, and decreased fluid use. However, the impact of this examination on prognoses requires further study. We propose that integrated cardiopulmonary sonography may be a useful bedside tool for treatment of ICU patients with acute pulmonary edema.