Hypotension is a high-risk sign which is associated with increased morbidity and mortality rate. The differential diagnosis for hypotension is broad and the treatment depends on the underlying etiology. In most cases of hypotension, patients present with limited history and physical examination may be inaccurate making the management of the condition a great challenge for emergency physicians.

The use of POCUS in undifferentiated hypotension has been shown to help correctly and rapidly identify the etiology and therefore initiate the appropriate management. Since 2001, there are many protocols published describing a systematic approach to the use of POCUS in undifferentiated hypotension. 

In this course, we will focus on the Rapid Ultrasound in Shock and Hypotension (RUSH) protocol.

This course aims to provide the necessary information on ultrasonography, its use in a hypotensive patient, and to prepare you for a RUSH practice session.

The course content is prepared and curated from iEM Education chapters, iEM image and video archives, and various FOAMed resources.

At the end of this course, you will be able to;

• Describe the basics of ultrasound (terminology, knobology, image acquisition, artifacts, etc.)
• Describe indications of RUSH protocol
• Describe patient and machine preparations
• Describe ultrasound examination views
• Recognize normal anatomical structures
• Recognize abnormal findings
• Feel confident to take a practical session for RUSH protocol

Who can get benefit from this course?

• Junior and senior medical students (course specifically designed for these groups)
• Interns/Junior emergency medicine residents/registrars