View source for Pulmonary capillary wedge pressure

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==Overview==
The '''Pulmonary capillary wedge pressure''' (abbreviated '''PCWP'''), as measured by a [[Swan-Ganz catheter]], is the pressure measured in a pulmonary artery after occlusion of that artery.  Because of the large [[Compliance (physiology)|compliance]] of the [[pulmonary circulation]], it provides an indirect measure of the left atrial pressure.

{|style="background:LemonChiffon" border="1px" cellpadding="5"
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|Normal range: 4 - 12mm Hg<ref>Braunwald's Heart Disease: A Textbook of Cardiovascular Medicine</ref>
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|Average pressure: 9 mm Hg<ref>Braunwald's Heart Disease: A Textbook of Cardiovascular Medicine</ref>
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==Confirmation that the PA catheter is in the "Wedge" position==
A saturation can be drawn from the tip of the catheter. If the saturation approximates that of the arterial system, then the column of blood that has been drawn is saturated and is reflective of left atrial pressure.

==Diagnosis of Mitral Regurgitation==
The PCWP contains both [[a wave]]s (reflective of the atrial contraction) and [[v wave]]s (reflective of ventricular contraction).  In the setting of acute [[mitral regurgitation]], large v waves may be present.

==Reference==
{{reflist|2}}

==Resources==
* {{GPnotebook|-1113980888}}
* [http://www.cvphysiology.com/Heart%20Failure/HF008.htm Overview at cvphysiology.com]
* [http://www.healthsystem.virginia.edu/internet/anesthesiology-elective/cardiac/pacphys.cfm Description at virginia.edu]
* {{MeshName|Pulmonary+wedge+pressure}}

[[de:Wedge-Druck]]

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[[Category:Medical terms]]
[[Category:Medical tests]]

[[Category:Cardiovascular system]]
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