Update on echocardiography: do we still need a stethoscope?

Abstract

The focus of this article is to review point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) of the chest as an adjunct to use of the stethoscope and physical examination. We consider selected evidence supporting POCUS for evaluation of acute dyspnoea and focussed cardiac assessment, explore current and the future directions in POCUS for the generalist physician and review some historical notes on auscultation of the chest and parallels to the evolution of POCUS.