Emergency echocardiography.

Emergency physicians need an understanding of the utility of echocardiography in the Emergency Department. With the recent emphasis of emergency department use of portable ultrasonography, emergency physicians will have the opportunity to gain proficiency in using echocardiography to diagnose certain conditions. Echocardiography may aid in the diagnosis of acute MI, pericardial effusion and tamponade, acute valvular dysfunction, acute aortic dissection, and post-traumatic cardiac disorders. An understanding of the potential limitations of echocardiography, combined with experience in its techniques, will ultimately help the emergency physician with its use in daily patient care.