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The Ultrasound Journal

Table 1 Echocardiographic findings at shock onset

From: Echocardiography in the sepsis syndromes

Small LV

Small RV

LV and RV hyperkinesia

Small IVC

IVC respiratory collapse (spontaneous ventilation)

None of the above (but rather a variable degree of LV or RV dysfunction) in the setting of relevant pre-existing cardiac disease

  1. Typical echocardiographic findings at septic shock onset are represented by signs of severe hypovolemia and biventricular hyperkinesia (effect of co-existing vasodilatation and hypovolemia). These findings are easily recognizable with a TTE focused ECHO examination. Put in the clinical context of a febrile patient with a known/suspected septic focus, this pattern suggests diagnosis of septic shock. Recognition of signs of pre-existing cardiac disease avoids misdiagnosis of primary cardiogenic cause of shock in a chronic heart failure with septic shock
  2. LV left ventricle, RV right ventricle, IVC inferior vena cava
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