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. 2023 Mar 1;35(1):2-10.
doi: 10.5935/2965-2774.20230307-en.

Use of bedside echocardiography in the care of critically ill patients - a joint consensus document of the Associação de Medicina Intensiva Brasileira, Associação Brasileira de Medicina de Emergência, and Sociedade Brasileira de Medicina Hospitalar. Part 1 - Competence in bedside echocardiography

José Augusto Santos Pellegrini  1 , Ciro Leite Mendes  2 , Paulo César Gottardo  3 , Khalil Feitosa  4 , Josiane França John  1 , Ana Cláudia Tonelli de Oliveira  5 , Alexandre Jorge de Andrade Negri  2 , Ana Burigo Grumann  6 , Dalton de Souza Barros  7 , Fátima Elizabeth Fonseca de Oliveira Negri  2 , Gérson Luiz de Macedo  8 , Júlio Leal Bandeira Neves  9 , Márcio da Silveira Rodrigues  10 , Marcio Fernando Spagnól  11 , Marcus Antonio Ferez  12 , Ricardo Ávila Chalhub  13 , Ricardo Luiz Cordioli  14
Affiliations

Use of bedside echocardiography in the care of critically ill patients - a joint consensus document of the Associação de Medicina Intensiva Brasileira, Associação Brasileira de Medicina de Emergência, and Sociedade Brasileira de Medicina Hospitalar. Part 1 - Competence in bedside echocardiography

José Augusto Santos Pellegrini et al. Crit Care Sci. .

Abstract

The use of echocardiography by physicians who are not echocardiographers has become common throughout the world across highly diverse settings where the care of acutely ill patients is provided. Echocardiographic evaluation performed in a point-of-care manner can provide relevant information regarding the mechanism of causes of shock, for example, increasing the rates of correct diagnosis and allowing for faster informed decision-making than through evaluation methods. Considering that the accurate diagnosis of life-threatening situations is essential for professionals working with acutely ill patients, several international associations recommend that physicians responsible for critically ill patients acquire and develop the ability to perform bedside ultrasound examinations, including echocardiographic examinations. However, there is no consensus in the literature regarding which specific applications should be included in the list of skills for nonechocardiographer physicians. Taking into account the multiplicity of applications of echocardiography in different scenarios related to acutely ill patients; the differences in the published protocols, with regard to both the teaching methodology and competence verification; and the heterogeneity of training among highly diverse specialties responsible for their care at different levels, this consensus document aimed to reflect the position of representatives of related Brazilian medical societies on the subject and may thus serve as a starting point both for standardization among different specialties and for the transmission of knowledge and verification of the corresponding competencies.

Keywords: Consensus; Critical care; Point-of-care systems; Ultrasonography.

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