Author(s)

Hillel A. Steiner, Yonatan Hasin

Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Boruch Padeh Medical Center, Lower Galilee, Israel.

The PAC has enabled major advances in understanding cardiac hemodynamics and pathophysiology. However its clinical utility is limited by data interpretation and serious complications. Echocardiography provides a useful alternative for hemodynamic assessment as well as identification of important concomitant findings. The combination of echocardiography with insertion of a central venous pressure catheter may be the optimal combination for hemodynamic monitoring.

Hemodynamics; Pulmonary Artery Catheter; Echocardiography

Steiner, H. and Hasin, Y. (2012) Echo is the preferred modality for hemodynamic monitoring in the cardiac intensive care unit. World Journal of Cardiovascular Diseases, 2, 165-167. doi: 10.4236/wjcd.2012.23028.