Echocardiographic assessment in cardiogenic shock

Transcatheter interventions for left-sided valvular heart disease complicated by cardiogenic shock: a consensus statement from the European Association of Percutaneous Cardiovascular Interventions (EAPCI) in collaboration with the Association for Acute Cardiovascular Care (ACVC) and the ESC Working Group on Cardiovascular Surgery

Valvular heart disease (VHD) is one of the most frequent causes of heart failure (HF) and is associated with poor prognosis, particularly among patients with conservative management. The development and improvement of catheter-based VHD interventions have broadened the indications for transcatheter valve interventions from inoperable/high-risk patients to younger/lower-risk patients. Cardiogenic shock (CS) associated with severe VHD is a clinical condition with a very high risk of mortality for which surgical treatment is often deemed a prohibitive risk. Transcatheter valve interventions might be a promising alternative in this setting given that they are less invasive. However, supportive scientific evidence is scarce and often limited to small case series. Current guidelines on VHD do not contain specific recommendations on how to manage patients with both VHD and CS. The purpose of this clinical consensus statement, developed by a group of international experts invited by the European Association of Percutaneous Cardiovascular Interventions (EAPCI) Scientific Documents and Initiatives Committee, is to perform a review of the available scientific evidence on the management of CS associated with left-sided VHD and to provide a rationale and practical approach for the application of transcatheter valve interventions in this specific clinical setting.

Critical Care Echocardiography

Ultrasonography is increasingly applied in the critical care setting. With advancements in technology, ultrasonography has become easier to use, with smaller machines, and more fundamental to patient assessment. Ultrasonography is a hands-on tool that brings real-time, dynamic information to the bedside. Patients in the critical care setting often have unstable hemodynamics or a tenuous respiratory status; thus, the use of ultrasonography to augment the assessment greatly improves patient safety. This article explores how to differentiate the etiology of shock with the adjunct of critical care echocardiography. In addition, the article examines how various ultrasonography techniques can be used to diagnose other life-threatening cardiac conditions, such as pulmonary embolism or cardiac tamponade, and the role of echocardiography in cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Critical care providers can add echocardiography and the information it provides to their repertoire to improve diagnosis, treatment, and patient outcomes.

Hemodynamic monitoring in cardiogenic shock

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Cardiogenic shock remains a major cause of mortality today. With recent advancements in invasive mechanical support strategies, reperfusion practice, and a new classification scheme is proposed for cardiogenic shock, an updated review of the latest hemodynamic monitoring techniques is important.

RECENT FINDINGS

Multiple recent studies have emerged supporting the use of pulmonary artery catheters in the cardiogenic shock population. Data likewise continues to emerge on the use of echocardiography and biomarker measurement in the care of these patients.

SUMMARY

The integration of multiple forms of hemodynamic monitoring, spanning noninvasive and invasive modalities, is important in the diagnosis, staging, initial treatment, and subsequent management of the cardiogenic shock patient.