Echocardiography is the first-line imaging modality for assessing cardiac function and morphology. The miniaturisation of ultrasound technology has led to the development of hand-held cardiac ultrasound (HCU) devices. The increasing sophistication of available HCU devices enables clinicians to more comprehensively examine patients at the bedside. HCU can augment clinical exam findings by offering a rapid screening assessment of cardiac dysfunction in both the Emergency Department and in cardiology clinics. Possible implications of implementing HCU into clinical practice are discussed in this review paper.
Keywords: Hand-held cardiac ultrasound; Jugular venous pressure; Left ventricular ejection fraction; Left ventricular hypertrophy; Valvular heart disease; Wall motion abnormality.
© 2021. The Author(s).