Cardiac Output and Other Hemodynamic Variables during External Cardiac Massage in Man

Abstract

SUCCESSFUL closed-chest cardiac resuscitation in man has been well documented,1 , 2 but little is known of the physiologic effects of this technic. The question arises how much blood flow can actually be produced by compression of the human heart between the sternum and vertebral column. Systemic arterial pressures have been recorded during performance of this method of resuscitation in man,3 4 5 6 but fluid shock waves are not a direct indication of flow. As Weiser and his group7 pointed out, "high systolic pressures may be due in part to catheter fling and in part to direct transmission of pressures applied to the closed . . .