Impact of Immediate Point-of-Care Ultrasound on Patients With Cardiopulmonary Symptoms in the Emergency Department

Impact of Immediate Point-of-Care Ultrasound on Patients With Cardiopulmonary Symptoms in the Emergency Department

The purpose of the proposed research is to examine whether incorporating point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) early in diagnostic work-up of cardiopulmonary complaints will affect diagnosis, time to condition-specific intervention, and ultimately patient outcomes compared to usual care.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Chief complaint of chest pain, dyspnea (either sudden onset or increased severity of chronic dyspnea), syncope, or hypotension (systolic blood pressure <100 or shock index [heart rate divided by systolic blood pressure] >1)

Exclusion Criteria:

• <18 years old
• Prisoner or ward of the state
• Trauma
• High acuity requiring treatment in resuscitation room
• Obvious cause of symptoms (e.g. acute GI bleed causing hypotension)
• Any form of "do not resuscitate" (DNR) order
• Roomed in hall of emergency department (location not amenable to ultrasound protocol)