Low Cardiac Output State & Airway Management
Learning Objectives
Recall clinical features of low cardiac output states that necessitate consideration of airway support or intubation
Explain the physiologic impact of work of breathing, positive‑pressure ventilation, sedation, and intubation on cardiac output and oxygen delivery
Apply a structured approach to airway decision‑making in patients with low cardiac output, including selection of non‑invasive versus invasive ventilation
Analyze hemodynamic risks associated with intubation and mechanical ventilation to determine optimal timing, preparation, and airway strategy
Evaluate airway and intubation preparedness—including team roles, medication readiness, and monitoring—to minimize circulatory collapse in low cardiac output states
Author(s)
Peter Laussen, MBBS, FANZCA, FCICM
Executive Vice President of Health Affairs | Boston Children’s Hospital
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
Jefferey Burns, MD, MPH
Assoc. Chief Medical Officer, Critical Care Services; Shapiro Chair in Critical Care Medicine, Division of Critical Care MedicineDirector, OPENPediatrics; Sr. Assoc. in Critical Care Medicine; Department of Anesthesiology, Critical Care & Pain Medicine | Boston Children's Hospital
Professor of Anesthesia | Harvard Medical School
Citation
Wolbrink TA, Burns JP. Low Cardiac Output State & Airway Management. 5/2013. Online Video. OPENPediatrics. https://learn.openpediatrics.org/learn/course/internal/view/elearning/3058/low-cardiac-output-state-airway-management.