Pulmonary Vascular Resistance
This Pulmonary Vascular Resistance (PVR) calculator estimates the resistance offered by the pulmonary vasculature using mean pulmonary artery pressure (PAP), pulmonary capillary wedge pressure (PCWP), and cardiac output (CO). It is useful for healthcare professionals to assess conditions like pulmonary hypertension and right heart dysfunction.
Pulmonary Vascular Resistance
PVR Calculation Formula
Where:
- PAP = Mean Pulmonary Artery Pressure (mmHg)
- PCWP = Pulmonary Capillary Wedge Pressure (mmHg)
- CO = Cardiac Output (L/min)
- PVR = Pulmonary Vascular Resistance (dyn·s/cm⁵)
The constant 80 is used to convert Wood units to dyn·s/cm⁵.
Pulmonary Vascular Resistance (PVR) reflects the resistance that the right ventricle must overcome to pump blood through the pulmonary circulation. Elevated PVR is often associated with pulmonary hypertension and heart failure. It’s calculated using hemodynamic measurements from right heart catheterization. A normal PVR is typically < 3 Wood units (or < 240 dyn·s/cm⁵). This calculator simplifies the computation and provides quick results for clinicians.