Pulsus Paradoxus: Cardiovascular Function and Assessment

Cardiovascular Assessment: Pulsus Paradoxus Assessing cardiac function, blood pressure and hemodynamic status play an important role during our overall patient assessment and treatment. Although 12 lead ECG evaluation is an essential part of patient assessment, especially cardiac etiology, understanding basic cardiac function plays a major role during treatment and overall patient status. During normal hemodynamic conditions, during inspiration, adequate cardiac, vascular function and adequate blood volume, certain changes in blood pressure occur. Keep in mind, when we measure blood pressure, we are assessing arterial pressures, not venous. • Normally during inspiration, Cardiac Output (CO) decreases slightly, since the Left Ventricle (LV) does not have the adequate amount of space to expand for full capacity preload •This drop in blood pressure is normally < 10mmHg •The heart rate also increases, as a compensatory mechanism, in an attempt to maintain normal Oxygen Delivery (DO2) In a short summary, this occurs due to: •  Intrathoracic pressures increase venous return to the Right Ventricle (RV) •This increase in Central Venous Pressure (1-6mmHg) which reflects the pressure of the RV, increases the RV volume and capacity, forcing the Interventricular Septum (the wall dividing the ventricles) towards the left •This Septum shift towards the left slightly reduces the LV capacity. This is even more marked during a Pericardial Effusion (fluid in the pericardial s...
Source: EMS 12-Lead - Category: Cardiology Authors: Tags: patient-management Pulsus Paradoxus Training Assessment Cardiac Function Source Type: research