Echocardiogrpahy provides precise anatomical, physiological and haemodynamic information in a wide variety of cardiac emergencies.

Patients presenting with acute chest pain, acute respiratory distress, sudden cardiorespiratory deterioration, thromboembolic epidoses, acute hypotension, new ECG or X-ray finding or cardiac murmur require quick evaluation to pinpoint exact cause of the same and initiate appropriate treatment.

Diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction, right ventricular infarct, acute coronary syndromes, rupture of papillary muscle or ventricular septum, intra cardiac thrombus, vegetation on native or prosthetic valves, pericardial effusion and cardiac tamponade, are some of the common conditions which can be diagnosed easily.

Differentiation between cardiac and respiratory emergencies can be sorted out immediately as in acute pulmonary embolism or acute exacerbation of asthma.

Similarly diagnosis of acute dissection of aorta occurring in a patient presenting with acute chest pain can help in deciding appropriate therapy.

Non-invasive haemodynamic information like pulmonary artery systolic and diastolic pressures, pulmonary capillary wedge pressures and cardiac output along with assessment of left ventricular systolic and diastolic dysfunction, provided by cardiac doppler studies can help immensely in planning appropriate treatment in cardiac emergencies.