Open Critical Care Grand Rounds Collective

Cardiac Dysfunction in Sepsis

A look at cardiac dysfunction by POCUS in critically ill septic patients.

Speaker
Michael Lanspa, MD
Director, Intermountain Critical Care Echocardiography Service

Video Editor
Kyle Swartz, DO

Key Points

  • Septic myocardial dysfunction, impacting either of the right or left ventricle, is common and associated with increased mortality.

  • Tailoring therapy based on myocardial dysfunction has yet to demonstrate improved patient outcomes.

  • During septic cardiomyopathy, when cardiac function may appear normal, echocardiographic strain analysis can be used to show focal areas of hypokinesis.

  • Echocardiographic E/E' analysis can assist in diagnosing diastolic dysfunction during critical illness and help to guide intravenous fluid administration.

 


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