Pericardiocentesis
Ultrasound has great potential to improve our diagnostic accuracy, particularly in the shocked patient. Previously we relied on assumptions from the history combined with difficult-to-elicit signs in the sick patient to diagnose rare conditions such as pericardial tamponade. Now we have ultrasound!! Consider pericardiocentesis in the shocked patient with a large pleural effusion on ultrasound (and no other obvious explanation or contraindication).
