Cardiac Waveform Interpretation – Key Vocabulary

24 vocabulary flashcards summarizing core hemodynamic waveform concepts, normal values, and pathological patterns discussed in the lecture.

Right Heart Pullback

Sequential withdrawal of a Swan-Ganz catheter from pulmonary-artery wedge position through PA, RV, and RA to observe changing right-heart waveforms.

A Wave

Pressure rise created by atrial contraction; appears just before ventricular systole on atrial/wedge tracings.

V Wave

Pressure rise during atrial filling while the AV valve is closed; peaks just before the valve opens.

LVEDP (Left Ventricular End-Diastolic Pressure)

Pressure in the LV at end diastole—normally 7-12 mmHg—measured at the onset of the LV upstroke.

Pulmonary Capillary Wedge Pressure (PCWP)

Indirect measurement of left-atrial pressure obtained with a balloon-inflated Swan tip; normal 7-12 mmHg.

Mitral Stenosis (Waveform Pattern)

High wedge/LA pressure with normal LVEDP, producing a large LA-to-LV diastolic gradient.

Mitral Valve Gradient

Difference between LA (or wedge) and LV pressures during diastole; enlarged in mitral stenosis.

Aortic Valve Gradient

Difference between LV systolic and aortic systolic pressures; indicates severity of aortic stenosis.

Dicrotic Notch

Small deflection on arterial waveform marking closure of the semilunar (aortic or pulmonic) valve.

Aortic Valve Opening

Point where LV pressure first exceeds aortic pressure and the arterial trace begins its systolic upstroke.

Aortic Valve Closing

Occurs at the dicrotic notch when aortic pressure falls below LV pressure as ventricular diastole starts.

Mitral Regurgitation (Waveform Pattern)

Tall V waves (>20 mmHg) on wedge/LAP with a near-normal LVEDP; A wave often absent in atrial fibrillation.

Pulmonic Stenosis (Waveform Pattern)

Elevated RV systolic pressure (e.g., 50 mmHg) with normal PA systolic (~25 mmHg) due to outflow obstruction.

Right Ventricular Pressures – Normal

RV systolic ≈ 25 mmHg; RV end-diastolic ≈ 5 mmHg.

Pulmonary Artery Pressures – Normal

PA systolic ≈ 25 mmHg; PA diastolic 7-12 mmHg.

Ventricular Waveform Morphology

Rapid upstroke, tall systolic peak, and steep decline characteristic of ventricular pressure recordings.

Arterial Waveform Morphology

Pulsatile trace with systolic peak and dicrotic notch signifying semilunar valve closure.

Wedge Waveform Morphology

Low-amplitude trace containing A and V deflections that mirror left-atrial pressure changes.

Wiggers Diagram

Classic diagram showing simultaneous ECG, pressure, and volume changes throughout the cardiac cycle.

Swan-Ganz Catheter

Balloon-tipped, flow-directed pulmonary-artery catheter used to measure intracardiac and pulmonary pressures.

Zero-to-40 Pressure Scale

Display range commonly used for right-heart tracings, helping distinguish them from systemic recordings.

Atrial Fibrillation Effect

Loss of organized A wave on atrial/wedge tracings due to absent coordinated atrial contraction.

LV–AO Simultaneous Recording

Technique that compares LV and aortic pressures in real time to detect an aortic valve gradient.

LV–Wedge Simultaneous Recording

Comparison of LVEDP with PCWP to evaluate mitral-valve disorders such as stenosis or regurgitation.