Heart Ultrasound by Emergency Medicine Residents as an Estimate of Heart Function

"BES2T" (Bedside E-point Septal Separation Test) for Emergency Medicine Residents

The purpose of this research is to better understand the use of heart ultrasounds to estimate heart function.

This research involves ultrasounds of the heart by two different emergency medicine doctors who are residents in training. Results from the two doctors will be compared to see how similar they are. This research will help us understand if heart ultrasounds can be used to see how well the heart pumps blood and if similar results are obtained from different doctors.

The doctors will use ultrasound of the heart to measure E-Point Septal Separation (EPSS). EPSS is the distance between two parts of the heart, the mitral valve and the ventricular septum. EPSS is measured in millimeters (mm). EPSS can estimate left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) as a measure of how well the heart pumps blood.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Healthy volunteers, or patients who come to the emergency department who may have a heart echocardiogram scheduled as part of their routine clinical care
• Age 18 or over
• Willing and able to provide informed consent

Exclusion Criteria:

• Pediatrics (age <18 years old).
• No cardiac-altering intervention performed between examiners.
• Unable to obtain a parasternal long view with mitral valve anterior leaflet, interventricular septum and aortic root.
• Transthoracic echocardiogram (TTE) more than the next day after EPSS is performed (for secondary outcome).
• Female with known pregnancy.
• Prisoner
• Prior cardiac surgery