STUDIES IN CONGESTIVE HEART FAILURE. XXIIII. A CRITICAL STUDY OF METHODS FOR DETERMINING THE CARDIAC OUTPUT IN PATIENTS WITH CARDIAC DISEASE

Abstract

A critical study was made of the possible sources of error in determining the cardiac output in patients with congestive heart failure. The acetylene method, the Burwell-Robinson Procedure and the Venous plateau method were especially investigated. Criteria are given for examining the applicability of any of these methods in a questionable case. When these criteria are satisfied identical results are obtained by all three methods. The acetylene method proved most easily adaptable to cardiac disease.