Assessment of Fluid Responsiveness with Critical Care Echocardiography: An Update

Purpose of ReviewTo review the tests of fluid responsiveness and volume status with critical care echocardiography, including their uses, performance, and limitations.Recent FindingsFluid overload is detrimental to critically ill patients. Dynamic parameters of fluid responsiveness are able to predict which patients will respond to a fluid bolus with an increase in cardiac output. These tests include the passive leg raise, stroke volume variation, vena cava variability, and the end expiratory occlusion maneuver.SummaryCritical care echocardiography can be used to evaluate changes in preload and stroke volume during performance of dynamic fluid responsiveness tests. The LVOT VTI is a central parameter used to estimate changes in stroke volume in real time during performance of these tests.