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Determining the exact etiology of hypotension / shock can sometimes be difficult in the Emergency Department.
The Rapid Ultrasound for Shock / Hypotension (RUSH) exam is a sequential, 5 step-protocol (typically requiring less than 2 minutes) that can be used to determine the cause(s) of hypotension.
The mnemonic for the exam is “HI MAP”, and is easy to remember because a "HI MAP" is our goal with hypotensive patients.
H - Heart (parasternal and four-chamber views)
I - Inferior Vena Cava (for volume responsiveness)
M - Morrison’s pouch (i.e., FAST exam) and views of thorax (looking for free fluid)
A - Aortic Aneurysm (ruptured abdominal aneurysm)
P - Pneumothorax (i.e., Tension PTX)
Refer to the link for a more detailed discussion and podcast from the creators of this exam: emcrit.org/rush-exam