What are values that are measured in the ICU with Hemodynamic Monitoring? - ANSWER
Systemic and Pulmonary arterial pressures, central venous pressures (CVP), pulmonary ar-
tery wedge pressure (PAWP), CO/CI, SV/SV index (SVI) and O2 saturation of the hemoglobin
of arterial blood (SaO2) and mixed venous oxygen saturation (SvO2).
What is Hemodynamic Monitoring? - ANSWER Measurement of pressure, flow and oxy-
genation within the cardiovascular system.
What is Cardiac Output? - ANSWER The volume of blood in liters pumped by the heart in
1 minute.
What is the Stroke Volume? - ANSWER The volume ejected with each heartbeat.
What determines Blood Pressure? - ANSWER CO and the forces opposing blood flow.
What is Preload? - ANSWER Volume within the ventricle at the end of diastole.
What determines SV? - ANSWER Preload, afterload, and contractility.
What is CVP? - ANSWER Measured in the right atrium, or in the vena cava close to the
heart, is the right ventricular preload or right ventricular end-diastolic pressure when there
is no tricuspid valve dysfunction, intracardiac defect or dysrhythmia.
What does PAWP reflect? - ANSWER A measurement of pulmonary capillary pressure
that reflects left ventricular end diastolic pressure under normal conditions (i.e., when there
is no mitral valve dysfunction, intracardiac defect, or dysrhythmia).
1
, What is Afterload? - ANSWER Refers to the forces opposing ventricular ejection.
What does the Afterload include? - ANSWER The systemic arterial pressure, the re-
sistance offered by the aortic valve, and the mass and density of the blood to be moved.
What is Systemic Vascular Resistance? - ANSWER The resistance of the systemic vascular
bed.
What are examples of positive inotropes? - ANSWER Epinephrine, norepinephrine
(Levophed), isoproterenol (Isuprel), dopamine (Intropin), dobutamine (Dobutrex), digitalis-
like drugs, calcium, and milrinone.
What is Pulmonary Vascular Resistance? - ANSWER The resistance of the pulmonary vas-
cular bed.
What is Contractility? - ANSWER Describes the strength of contraction.
What category of drugs increase contractility? - ANSWER Positive Inotropes.
What category of drugs decrease contractility? - ANSWER Negative Inotropes.
What are examples of negative inotropes? - ANSWER Drugs (e.g., alcohol, calcium chan-
nel blockers, B-adrenergic blockers,) and clinical conditions (e.g., acidosis).
What does increased contractility result it? - ANSWER Increased SV and increased myo-
cardial O2 requirements.
What is the normal pressure in the Right Atrium, or the CVP? - ANSWER 2 - 8 mm Hg.
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Systemic and Pulmonary arterial pressures, central venous pressures (CVP), pulmonary ar-
tery wedge pressure (PAWP), CO/CI, SV/SV index (SVI) and O2 saturation of the hemoglobin
of arterial blood (SaO2) and mixed venous oxygen saturation (SvO2).
What is Hemodynamic Monitoring? - ANSWER Measurement of pressure, flow and oxy-
genation within the cardiovascular system.
What is Cardiac Output? - ANSWER The volume of blood in liters pumped by the heart in
1 minute.
What is the Stroke Volume? - ANSWER The volume ejected with each heartbeat.
What determines Blood Pressure? - ANSWER CO and the forces opposing blood flow.
What is Preload? - ANSWER Volume within the ventricle at the end of diastole.
What determines SV? - ANSWER Preload, afterload, and contractility.
What is CVP? - ANSWER Measured in the right atrium, or in the vena cava close to the
heart, is the right ventricular preload or right ventricular end-diastolic pressure when there
is no tricuspid valve dysfunction, intracardiac defect or dysrhythmia.
What does PAWP reflect? - ANSWER A measurement of pulmonary capillary pressure
that reflects left ventricular end diastolic pressure under normal conditions (i.e., when there
is no mitral valve dysfunction, intracardiac defect, or dysrhythmia).
1
, What is Afterload? - ANSWER Refers to the forces opposing ventricular ejection.
What does the Afterload include? - ANSWER The systemic arterial pressure, the re-
sistance offered by the aortic valve, and the mass and density of the blood to be moved.
What is Systemic Vascular Resistance? - ANSWER The resistance of the systemic vascular
bed.
What are examples of positive inotropes? - ANSWER Epinephrine, norepinephrine
(Levophed), isoproterenol (Isuprel), dopamine (Intropin), dobutamine (Dobutrex), digitalis-
like drugs, calcium, and milrinone.
What is Pulmonary Vascular Resistance? - ANSWER The resistance of the pulmonary vas-
cular bed.
What is Contractility? - ANSWER Describes the strength of contraction.
What category of drugs increase contractility? - ANSWER Positive Inotropes.
What category of drugs decrease contractility? - ANSWER Negative Inotropes.
What are examples of negative inotropes? - ANSWER Drugs (e.g., alcohol, calcium chan-
nel blockers, B-adrenergic blockers,) and clinical conditions (e.g., acidosis).
What does increased contractility result it? - ANSWER Increased SV and increased myo-
cardial O2 requirements.
What is the normal pressure in the Right Atrium, or the CVP? - ANSWER 2 - 8 mm Hg.
2
