Abstract

OCHOA M, Juan E; MCEWEN O, Juan G  and  ARISTIZABAL O, Dagnóvar. Principles of non-invasive hemodynamic assessment with impedance cardiography. Rev. Colom. Cardiol. [online]. 2009, vol.16, n.3, pp.91-102. ISSN 0120-5633.

Impedance cardiography (ICG) is a non-invasive technique that allows a rapid, continuous and reproducible beat-to-beat cardiac output estimation. This technique measures thoracic electrical resistance changes produced by variations in the blood volume in the aorta during the cardiac cycle. Continuous measurement of impedance changes or fluctuations of blood volume during systole and diastole allow the determination of stroke volume, cardiac output, myocardial contractility, and total thoracic fluid content. Between the advantages of this technique are included its easy implementation and accessibility, as well as the possibility of its measurement by practically any member of the health team. Impedance cardiography accuracy has been validated in several clinical scenarios such as arterial hypertension, heart failure, pulmonary hypertension, optimization of cardiac resynchronization therapy, and in critically ill patients, situations where it provides information about the hemodynamic state without the risks and costs of other invasive or minimally invasive techniques. It is also an easy to use, cost-effective method for the diagnosis and follow-up of the response to therapeutic interventions in multiple clinical scenarios. Thus, this technology represents a change in the paradigms of hemodynamic monitoring.

Keywords : impedance cardiography; stroke volume; cardiac output; hemodynamic evaluation.

        · abstract in Spanish     · text in Spanish     · Spanish ( pdf )