Point-of-care-ultrasound in cardiac arrest: a useful tool for resuscitation

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Source: Frontiers Medicine

Original: https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmed.2026.1795346...

Published: 2026-03-20T00:00:00Z

Point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) is a diagnostic method that provides real-time information during resuscitation and enables rapid identification of reversible conditions.[1][4] Ultrasound is particularly useful in shockless rhythms such as pulseless electrical activity, pseudo-PEA, and asystole, where electrocardiographic findings alone may be misleading.[1] POCUS helps identify reversible causes of cardiac arrest, including cardiac tamponade, massive pulmonary embolism, and tension pneumothorax.[1] Ultrasound can be used to serially monitor cardiac activity and guide advanced resuscitation, but should not be used as the sole criterion for termination of resuscitation.[1] When performing POCUS during cardiac arrest in practice, it is important to minimize interruptions in chest compressions and obtain useful views within the 10-second window of pulse monitoring.[1] Structured approaches, such as the cardiac arrest sonographic assessment protocol, support efficient image acquisition during resuscitation.[1]