Page 116 - Critical Care Nursing Demystified

Pressurized IV bag

ECG monitor

Electrical
cable to
monitor
3-way
stopcock
Transducer

FIGURE 3–5 • Typical PAC setup..

TABLE 3–5 Pressures Obtained by Pulmonary Artery Catheter (PAC)

Pressures Normal Value What They Mean Downloaded by [ Faculty of Nursing, Chiangmai University 5.62.158.117] at [07/18/16]. Copyright © McGraw-Hill Global Education Holdings, LLC. Not to be redistributed or modified in any way without permission.
Right atrial (RA) or 2–6 mm Hg Measures preload of the right
central venous heart or amount of blood/force
pressure (CVP) of blood coming into the right
atrium. RA = CVP
Right ventricular (RV) 20–30/0–8 mm Hg Pressure in the RV, only seen
on insertion OR when the PAC
migrates inadvertently back to
RV. Only value dropping to
0 diastolically. Concurrently,
life-threatening ventricular
dysrhythmias can be seen if left
in RV position. Catheter should
never be left in this position.
Pulmonary artery 20–30/8–15 mm Hg Measures pressures within
pressure pulmonary artery. Is the pressure
reading that is constant on the
PAC. Not reflective of left-sided
heart pressures.
Pulmonary artery 4–12 mm Hg Measures left ventricular preload
wedge pressure or amount/pressure of blood
(PAWP) or pulmonary coming into left ventricle.
artery occlusive pres- Measurement involves inflation of
sure wedge (PAOP) a tiny balloon on the PCWP port
of the PAC.
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