Current methods for noninvasive measurement of pulmonary arterial blood pressure by standard echo-doppler equipment are fraught with uncertainty. So much so that patients being screened and followed for pulmonary arterial hypertension require right heart catheterization. An invasive and uncomfortable and potentially dangerous procedure.
This study is designed to confirm our preliminary observation that there is good correlation between Valsalva maneuver pressure and pulmonary arterial blood pressure.
Sixty patients undergoing right heart catheterization for clinical reasons will be studied.
The study itself is short, about 30 minutes, painless and done with the patient either sitting up in bed or semi-reclining. The probe is positioned over the right chest wall and the patient is requested to successively blow into a mouthpiece at rising pressures, to tolerance.
The results obtained using TPD to asses pulmonary arterial pressure will be compared to the results obtained at catheterization.
This is part of the development phase of the technology.
