Title:Hemodynamic Monitoring in the Acute Management of Pediatric Heart Failure
Volume: 12
Issue: 2
Author(s): Rocky Tsang, Paul Checchia and Ronald A Bronicki
Affiliation:
Keywords:
Cardiac output, hemodynamics, monitoring, near infrared spectroscopy, pediatrics, tissue oxygenation, venous
oximetry.
Abstract: One of the basic tenets of cardiac critical care is to ensure adequate tissue oxygenation. As
with other critical illness such as trauma and acute myocardial infarction studies have demonstrated
that making the right diagnosis at the right time improves outcomes. The same is true for the management
of patients at risk for or in a state of shock. In order to optimize outcomes an accurate and timely
assessment of cardiac function, cardiac output and tissue oxygenation must be made. This review discusses
the limitations of the standard assessment of cardiovascular function, and adjunctive monitoring
modalities that may be used to enhance the accuracy and timely implementation of therapeutic
strategies to improve tissue oxygenation.
