title: Assessment of the effects of various maneuvers on both atrial pressure changes.
abstract: The aim of the present study was to determine which maneuver causes the greatest pressure difference between both atria by measuring right and left atrial pressures simultaneously after certain maneuvers. Thirty-two coronary care unit patients, whom a Swan-Ganz catheter was inserted because of acute left ventricular dysfunction, hypotension, sinus tachycardia with unknown cause, were included in this study. The basal values of peak right atrium (RA) pressure and corresponding pulmonary capillary wedge pressure (PCWP) were measured via two separated transducers. Patients were tutored with several trials to perform breath holding, successive three strong coughs, Valsalva maneuver, 20 degrees head down, respectively. In the end of these maneuvers, the peak RA pressure and corresponding PCWP were measured simultaneously. All maneuvers caused an increase in RA pressure. The highest peak RA pressure was obtained by means of the Valsalva maneuver (7.6 +/- 5 versus 20.4 +/- 7.6 mmHg before and after Valsalva, respectively; P<0.001). PCWP (18.8 +/- 5.9 mmHg) increased only with coughing (21.2 +/- 6.7 mmHg, P<0.01) and 20 degrees head down maneuver (20 +/- 5.7 mmHg, P<0.05). The highest increase in pressure gradient between peak RA pressure and corresponding PCWP was observed during Valsalva maneuver (-11 +/- 6.6 vs. 2.3 +/- 5.9 mmHg, P<0.001). The lowest increase was obtained in 20 degrees head down maneuver (-11 +/- 6.6 vs. -8.5 +/- 5.8 mmHg, P<0.001). When measuring the pressure of both atria invasively and simultaneously, Valsalva maneuver was the most effective maneuver consistent with pressure difference in favour of RA among all the other maneuvers.
authors.affiliation: Siyami Ersek Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery Center, Cardiology Department, Istanbul, Turkey. sevket5@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Sevket
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gorgulu
authors.forename: Abdurrahman
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Eksik
authors.forename: Mehmet
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Eren
authors.forename: Seden
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Celik
authors.forename: Nevzat
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Uslu
authors.forename: Aydin
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Yildirim
authors.forename: Bahadir
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Dagdeviren
authors.forename: Tuna
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tezel
mesh_terms: D016279:Atrial Function, Left / Q000502:physiology*; D016280:Atrial Function, Right / Q000502:physiology*; D002407:Catheterization, Swan-Ganz; D003371:Cough; D005260:Female; D019416:Head Movements; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011669:Pulmonary Wedge Pressure; D012119:Respiration; D014636:Valsalva Maneuver