Preoperative diffusion capacity per liter alveolar volume (Kco) in cardiac transplant recipients with an intrinsic normal lung is within the normal range. In the first postoperative year, Kco showed a significant mean decrease of 12 percent (p less than 0.004). Lung function (TLC, VC, FEV1) tended to normalize after heart transplantation. Ventilation distribution remained stable before and afte...

The concentration of plasma immunoreactive atrial natriuretic peptide is positively associated with right atrial and pulmonary capillary wedge pressure, suggesting that blood volume and hence atrial pressure govern its release. Expansion of plasma volume is a central physiological adjustment in normal pregnancy. Conversely, pregnancies complicated by pre-eclampsia are associated with a reductio...

In order to assess the value of haemodynamic monitoring in the coronary care unit for long term prognosis after recovery of an acute myocardial infarction, the records of two groups of consecutive patients were reviewed retrospectively. From 254 patients, 32 (13%) died in the hospital and nine patients had to be excluded from subsequent follow-up for various reasons. Four year mortality among t...

In heart failure (HF), pulmonary hypertension (PH) is initially associated with a rise in the left ventricular filling pressure. PH is defined by pulmonary hemodynamic measurements including pulmonary capillary wedge pressure, mean pulmonary arterial pressure and pulmonary vascular resistance. Eventually, PH in HF may become more of a reactive process. Although the mechanism of the reactive PH ...

RATIONALE The hemodynamic effects of adaptive servoventilation (ASV) in patients with pulmonary hypertension (PH) are unknown. METHODS A series of clinically stable patients with pre- or post-capillary PH underwent ASV therapy (endexpiratory positive airway pressure support 12-14 cm H2O, pressure support 4-10 cm H2O) during right heart catheterization. Hemodynamics were measured at rest, at t...

We report the case of a 55-year-old woman with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF), who presented with hypertensive urgency and pulmonary oedema. The patient was medically optimized and underwent cardiac catheterization revealing pulmonary hypertension, elevated pulmonary capillary wedge pressure, normal cardiac index, and non-obstructive coronary disease. Invasive evaluation...

In this special issue of the Netherlands Heart Journal different aspects of pulmonary hypertension are elucidated. Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is a haemodynamic state defined as a mean pulmonary artery pressure of ≥25 mmHg assessed by right heart catheterisation at rest [1]. Furthermore, PH can be divided into two main haemodynamic profiles: a pre-capillary (with a pulmonary artery wedge pressu...

Respiratory influences are major confounders when evaluating central haemodynamics during exercise. We studied four different methods to assess mean pulmonary artery pressure (mPAP) and pulmonary capillary wedge pressure (PCWP) in cases of respiratory swings. Central haemodynamics were measured simultaneously with oesophageal pressure during exercise in 30 chronic obstructive pulmonary disease ...

In 12 patients with atrial septal defect or anomalous pulmonary venous connection, pulmonary vein wedge mean pressure uniformly exceeded mean pressure in the left atrium or pulmonary vein and with one exception was less than mean pressure in the pulmonary artery. There was a positive correlation between pulmonary arteriolar resistance and the difference in pressure between pulmonary artery and ...

Abbreviations: A wave late-filling wave; CW continuouswave; dP/dtmax positive maximum first derivative of pressure, corrected for time; Ea arterial elastance; E/A ratio of the early and rapid-filling wave to the late-filling wave; E wave early and rapid-filling wave; LA left atrium atrial; LAP left atrial pressure; LV left ventricle/ventricular; LVEDA left ventricular end-diastolic area; LVEDP ...