The Use of POCUS in Daily Practice: Are We Really Ready to Use it Efficiently?

Research on congestion in patients with heart failure (HF) is crucial for clinical management and prognosis of the disease. Congestion (i.e., the accumulation of fluids in the body) is the main cause of hospital admission and readmission of patients with HF, and it is associated with increased mortality. Early detection and identification of the extent of congestion are essential for choosing the most appropriate therapy, preventing complications, and improving prognosis. Clinical signs of congestion may be insufficiently sensitive and specific for the diagnosis and management of patients with HF.

The point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) is a diagnostic tool that allows immediate and dynamic visualization of ultrasound images. This tool can be used at the bedside to obtain additional clinical information for the physical examination of a specific disease or procedure. The practicality and speed with which images are obtained result in their high use at hospitals for critically ill patients. POCUS has been used in various medical specialties, especially in pulmonary and cardiac ultrasound.

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