Understanding Hemodynamic Findings on a Cardiac Catheterization Report

The numbers listed under hemodynamic findings as fractions on a cardiac catheterization report are not systolic and diastolic pressure readings. They are the mean pulmonary arterial pressure (PAPm) and the pulmonary artery wedge pressure (PAWP), both measured in millimeters of mercury (mmHg).

The mean PAPm is the average pressure in the pulmonary artery during one cardiac cycle. It is calculated by adding the systolic pressure (the highest pressure reached during a heartbeat) and the diastolic pressure (the lowest pressure reached during a heartbeat) and dividing the sum by 2.

The PAWP is the pressure in the pulmonary artery when the heart is not beating. It is measured at the end of diastole, just before the heart contracts.

These two measurements are important for evaluating the function of the heart and lungs. The mean PAPm can indicate whether there is pulmonary hypertension, a condition in which the pressure in the pulmonary arteries is too high. The PAWP can indicate whether there is left ventricular failure, a condition in which the left ventricle of the heart is not pumping blood effectively.