title: Defining characteristics of decreased cardiac output: a literature review.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The study aims to proceed a literature review of defining characteristics (DCs) of decreased cardiac output (DCO).
  
  
  METHODS
  Medline database was used to perform this study. The descriptors used were "low cardiac output" and "nursing diagnosis."
  
  
  RESULTS
  Seventy-nine DCs were identified. Among them, 28 have already been approved by NANDA-I. Some data from microcirculation assessment such as high levels of serum lactate and decreased oxygen venous saturation were identified as indicators of this nursing diagnosis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Some of the approved DCs were identified through literature review but others seem to be new as they have not been cited in the NANDA-I classification.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Further content and clinical validations are needed to confirm if data from microcirculation might be considered as DCs of DCO.
authors.affiliation: Emergency Unit, Heart Institute (InCor), Medical School, University of Sao Paulo in São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Sara Michelly Gonçalves
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Brandão
authors.forename: Denise Meira
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Altino
authors.forename: Rita de Cassia
authors.initials: Rde C
authors.lastname: Gengo e Silva
authors.forename: Juliana de Lima
authors.initials: Jde L
authors.lastname: Lopes
mesh_terms: D002303:Cardiac Output, Low / Q000451:nursing / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D009626:Terminology as Topic