Bedside ultrasound in the management of critically ill patients; Echocardiographic signs of acute respiratory distress syndrome and pulmonary embolism can be very similar, and lung ultrasound can act as a key: A case report.

Right-sided heart failure (RHF) diagnosed at point-of-care-ultrasonography examination of critical patients may reveal an acute disease, such as pulmonary embolism (PE), requiring emergency thrombolytic treatment. However, acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) and PE leading to acute RHF may exhibit very similar echocardiographic features. We report the case of a 27-year-old pregnant woman diagnosed with ARDS due to septic abortion, and in whom ARDS mimicked PE both clinically and on echocardiography. Such similarity may lead to inappropriate administration of thrombolytic therapy and/or delay the correct treatment. Lung ultrasonography may help avoiding this pitfall.