Point of Care Ultrasound Shock Protocols for Patients’ Bedside Assessment, Diagnosis, and Treatment of Tamponade: a Case Report and Literature Review

Point-of-care ultrasound reduces diagnosis uncertainty, increases diagnosis accuracy, and improves the treatment of patients presenting to the emergency department with undifferentiated hypotension secondary to a tamponade. The following narrative review describes how the literature supports the use of point-of-care ultrasound as a major adjunct of clinical examination, diagnosis, and treatment for patients presenting in shock due to cardiac tamponade using different point-of-care ultrasound protocols. When used by trained physicians, we believe that point-of-care ultrasound should be part of every protocol for the management of shocked patients in emergency departments.