INVASIVE AND NONINVASIVE HEMODYNAMIC MONITORING OF PATIENTS WITH CEREBROVASCULAR ACCIDENTS

Seventeen patients with hemodynamic instability from acute cerebrovasc ular accidents were evaluated shortly after arrival at the emergency d epartment of a university-run county hospital with both invasive Swan- Cant pulmonary artery catheter placement and a new, noninvasive, thora cic electrical bioimpedance device. Values were recorded and temporal patterns of survivors and nonsurvivors were described. Cardiac indices obtained simultaneously by the 2 techniques were compared. Of the 17 patients, 11 (65%) died. Survivors had higher values than nonsurvivors for mean arterial pressure, cardiac index, and oxygen saturation, del ivery, and consumption at comparable times. Cardiac index values, as m easured by invasive and noninvasive methods, were correlated. We concl uded that hemodynamic monitoring in an acute care setting may recogniz e temporal circulatory patterns associated with outcome. Noninvasive e lectrical bioimpedance technology offers a new method for early hemody namic evaluation. Further research in this area is warranted.