RV strain in PE

In critical care ultrasound, RV strain in PE refers to the acute right ventricular dysfunction caused by increased afterload due to a pulmonary embolism (PE). This crucial finding indicates the right ventricle is struggling to pump blood against elevated pulmonary pressures, leading to dilation and impaired contractility. Early identification through bedside ultrasound is vital for guiding management and improving patient outcomes in acute PE.

Recognizing RV strain in PE via ultrasound, often seen as RV dilation and septal bowing, allows for timely intervention in critically ill patients. This assessment is central to risk stratification in PE, helping clinicians determine the severity of the embolus and the need for advanced therapies like thrombolysis.

Clinical Author

Bruno Vargas is originally from Mexico City. He first trained as an Emergency Medical Technician at la Universidad Panamericana (UP) before starting medical school at la Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM) in Mexico City. Later he did his social service year in the Sierra Madre of Chiapas with Partners in Health Mexico/Compañeros en Salud (CES) in 2019, where he was trained in Global Health, social medicine, and introduced to Point of Care Ultrasound (POCUS). At that moment while working in a resource-limited setting he became passionate about POCUS. He graduated as a general practitioner, and afterward stayed with CES during the pandemic as part of the COVID-19 task force, training community healthcare workers and “pasantes” (first-year doctors doing their year of social service). He finished the Ultrasound Leadership Academy (ULA) fellowship and has started a POCUS training program at his site with midwives, nurses, doctors, and trainees from these areas. He is currently doing a Global Health Fellowship with HEAL as a site fellow in Chiapas with CES. He has committed to a lifelong career in global health providing healthcare access to the most marginalized communities. He has a profound respect and admiration for nature and loves any kind of outdoor activities, especially bicycling, high mountain, and scuba-diving.

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