It is important for critical care physicians to address the hemodynamic status of critically ill patients for an appropriate guide to fluid therapy and inotropes .
Different techniques are employed for this purpose which includes physical examination, central venous pressure (CVP) measurement, biochemical markers, estimate of the vascular pedicle width, pulmonary artery catheters, sonographic inferior vena cava (IVC) diameter assessment and various catheter devices .
CVP measurements are the most frequently employed through estimation of the preload. However CVP measurement requires insertion of central venous catheters which can be costly, time consuming and can lead to complications. Bedside ultrasonography is readily available in intensive care setups. It is safe, cheap and non-invasive. Ultrasound of inferior vena cava (IVC) is a tool that can provide a rapid and non-invasive means of gauging preload and the need for fluid resuscitation .
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