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Introduction of portable bedside echocardiography to acute general medicine
Author(s) -
Maxwell Allan Gordon,
Jardine David L.
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
internal medicine journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.596
H-Index - 70
eISSN - 1445-5994
pISSN - 1444-0903
DOI - 10.1111/imj.14383
Subject(s) - medicine , ventricle , cardiology , atrioventricular valve , left ventricular hypertrophy , blood pressure
We reviewed the medical records of all patients who underwent portable bedside echocardiography under general medicine over a 15‐month period. The mean age of patients was 67 years (range 16–95) ( n = 201). Indications for scanning included syncope (27%), murmur (17%) and dyspnoea (14%); findings included valve abnormalities (46%), left ventricular hypertrophy (26%) and dilated left ventricle (15%). Bedside echocardiography is a useful extension of the physical examination but is operator‐dependent, and its routine use in general medicine will depend on the availability of training, group reporting sessions and quality assurance.