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Interpreting Arterial Pressure Waveforms

Learn principles of invasive and non-invasive arterial pressure monitoring, including factors that influence the appearance of the pressure waveform in arterial circulation.

Released:

May 29, 2015

Audience:

Physicians, Paramedics

Learning Objectives

  • Learn the basic concept behind how a pressure transducer works

  • Describe how to “zero” a pressure transducer, and appreciate how position of the transducer relative to the patient can influence its reading

  • Describe the effects of air and bubbles in the transducer system on the signal output

  • Describe the concepts behind the appearance of an arterial line pressure tracing, including the effects of stroke volume and vascular compliance

  • Compare and contrast invasive versus non-invasive blood pressure monitoring

  • Describe the concepts behind the appearance of a central venous line pressure tracing, including the effects of intravascular volume and atrial compliance

Author(s)

James A. DiNardo, MD

Senior Associate in Cardiac Anesthesia, Department of Anesthesiology, Critical Care and Pain Medicine | Boston Children's Hospital

Professor of Anaesthesia | Harvard Medical School


Traci Wolbrink, MD, MPH

Co-Director, OPENPediatrics; Co-Director, Center for Educational Excellence and Innovation; Program Director, Pediatric Critical Care Medicine Fellowship; Senior Associate in Critical Care Medicine | Boston Children’s Hospital

Associate Professor of Anaesthesia | Harvard Medical School

Citation

DiNardo J, Wolbrink TA. Interpreting Arterial Pressure Waveforms. 5/2015. Online Video. OPENPediatrics. https://learn.openpediatrics.org/learn/course/internal/view/elearning/3093/interpreting-arterial-pressure-waveforms.

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