Clinical cardiac imaging in cardiac arrest and periarrest.

Echocardiography during preresuscitation care, cardiopulmonary resuscitation and postresuscitation is suggested to be an important tool in critical care medicine. At present a structured process integrating advanced life support and transtoracic echocardiography is not included in guidelines of cardiac resuscitation. However identification and treatment of reversible causes or complicating factors during cardiopulmonary resuscitation is rational and aimed to improve the outcomes. Furthermore, echocardiography has the potential to define the efficiency of the chest compressions and the optimal duration of the resuscitation maneuvers and/or the right time to switch to extracorporeal resuscitation.