How to perform central venous pressure measurement
Louise O'Dwyer
Thursday, December 1, 2011
Central venous pressure (CVP) is an estimate of the blood pressure in the right atrium. CVP refects the amount of blood returning to the heart and the ability of the heart to pump the blood into the arterial system. CVP is directly proportional to the volume of blood in the anterior vena cava and venous tone. This pressure is decreased by hypovolaemia or venodilation and is increased by fluid therapy or venoconstriction. It can be used to guide fluid therapy administration in critically ill patients, or in patients with cardiac disease to help prevent volume overload.
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