What Is Pulmonary Wedge Pressure?

Pulmonary wedge pressure (pulmonary artery wedge pressure (PAWP)), also known as pulmonary capillary wedge pressure, is the most commonly used and most important monitoring indicator for clinical hemodynamic monitoring.

Pulmonary wedge pressure

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Pulmonary wedge pressure (pulmonary artery wedge pressure (PAWP)), also known as pulmonary capillary wedge pressure, is

Pulmonary artery wedge pressure is usually measured by using a Swan-Ganz balloon floating catheter to float through the blood stream and wedge it to the pulmonary arteriolar site to block the forward blood flow there. Wedge pressure (PAWP).

When the pulmonary arterioles are occluded by the wedge, the blood in the blocked pulmonary arterioles and the corresponding pulmonary venules is stagnated and becomes a static blood flow column with equal pressure. Because the large pulmonary venous blood flow resistance is negligible, PAWP is equal to the pulmonary venous pressure, or left atrial pressure.

Pulmonary wedge pressure not only represents left atrial pressure and left ventricular preload, but also reflects left ventricular function. It is not affected by changes in pulmonary circulation resistance and pulmonary valve disease. However, it is impossible to routinely use pulmonary artery catheters, and it is only used for the monitoring of critically ill patients. .