Evaluating Lung and Heart Ultrasound to Guide Treatment for Sudden Breathing Problems in People Over 65

What this Trial Is About

Researchers are evaluating a management strategy for acute dyspnea in elderly patients using lung and cardiac ultrasonography. Acute dyspnea, a common and serious reason for emergency admission with high mortality, is often hard to diagnose quickly because its causes vary widely. This study aims to see if using ultrasonography at the bedside by emergency physicians can reduce delays in diagnosis and treatment for elderly patients with acute breathing difficulties. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of two groups a clinical ultrasound group where lung and cardiac ultrasonography guides diagnosis and treatment immediately at the bedside, or a standard care group receiving usual diagnostic and therapeutic procedures. Emergency physicians trained in this ultrasound technique will perform the examinations, and treatments initiated in the emergency department will be recorded for comparison with final diagnoses. During the study, participants will be assessed for therapeutic adequacy within the first hour and diagnostic accuracy up to four hours after emergency department discharge. Researchers will also track emergency department stay length, hospital stay after emergency care, days alive outside the hospital within 30 days, and care costs. Consent will be obtained, and monitoring will continue through day 30 to evaluate the outcomes and safety of the management strategies.

LUng and Cardiac Ultrasound for REspiratory Distress in ElDerly