Question

A patient in the cardiac intensive care unit has a Swan-Ganz pulmonary artery catheter in place. The following data is available: CVP 1 torr mPAP 10 torr PCWP 4 torr C.I. 1.7 L/min/m2. The therapist can conclude the presence of which of the following?

1) increased right atrial filling pressure
2) hypervolemia
3) hypovolemia
4) left sided heart failure

Answer 1

Based on the provided Swan-Ganz catheter data, with a CVP of 1 torr and a C.I. of 1.7 L/min/m², the most likely conclusion is the presence of hypovolemia in the patient.

Step-by-step explanation:

Reviewing the data from the Swan-Ganz pulmonary artery catheter, the following can be concluded about the patient's condition. A Central Venous Pressure (CVP) of 1 torr is on the lower end, suggesting hypovolemia or decreased blood volume in the right atrium. A mean Pulmonary Artery Pressure (mPAP) of 10 torr, which is in the normal range, does not indicate increased pressure in the pulmonary artery. Pulmonary Capillary Wedge Pressure (PCWP) of 4 torr, although within a normal range, is helpful in evaluating the left side of the heart, and it doesn't suggest left-sided heart failure in this context. Lastly, a Cardiac Index (C.I.) of 1.7 L/min/m² is below normal, which could be a result of several factors including hypovolemia. Taking all of these values into consideration, the data points toward the patient likely experiencing hypovolemia.