Bedside determination of left atrial pressure.
An investigation was conducted to assess the accuracy of left heart filling pressures determined by a right heart catheter introduced at the bedside. Twelve patients were studied after open cardiac surgery by simultaneously recording pressures from both sides of the pulmonary capillary bed with a direct left atrial catheter and a flow-directed pulmonary arterial catheter. The mean pulmonary artery "occluded" pressure was shown to be a highly reliable index of mean left atrial pressure in all cases. It was much more accurate than pulmonary end-diastolic pressure, especially in six patients with pre-existing pulmonary hypertension.
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001794:Blood Pressure; D001795:Blood Pressure Determination; D006328:Cardiac Catheterization; D006348:Cardiac Surgical Procedures; D004562:Electrocardiography; D005260:Female; D006325:Heart Atria; D006330:Heart Defects, Congenital / Q000175:diagnosis; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis; D006801:Humans; D006976:Hypertension, Pulmonary / Q000175:diagnosis; D008168:Lung / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008297:Male; D008722:Methods; D008875:Middle Aged; D011651:Pulmonary Artery; D011652:Pulmonary Circulation; D011859:Radiography; D014655:Vascular Resistance