MEASUREMENT OF CARDIAC OUTPUT IN MAN USING THE TECHNIQUE OF CATHETERIZATION OF THE RIGHT AURICLE OR VENTRICLE

Abstract

Determination of cardiac output on the basis of the so-called Fick principle requires the measurement of oxygen or of carbon dioxide content of arterial blood, and of mixed venous blood, and the total oxygen intake or carbon dioxide elimination by the lungs, per unit of time. With these values, cardiac output is obtained from either of the following two equations: