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Pulmonary Pressure Drop and Vascular Resistance

The left atrial pressure control represents the downstream pressure, commonly pulmonary arterial wedge pressure.

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Calculator inputs

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How to use this calculator

  1. Enter the known values in the units shown. Results update as you type.
  2. Where results are editable, change one to solve backwards. Lock a value to hold it fixed.
  3. Use the worked example to check the method. Reset restores the starting fields.

Use the result with context

Health results are educational estimates, not a diagnosis or treatment recommendation. A qualified clinician can interpret measurements in the context of your health.

Formula and method

Pressures 30 and 10 mmHg with output 5 L/min give 4 Wood units or 320 dyn·s/cm⁵.

PVR (dyn·s/cm⁵) = 80 × (mean pulmonary artery pressure − left atrial/wedge pressure) / cardiac output in L/min.

Worked example

Enter these known values and leave the other values blank.

Mean pulmonary artery pressure
30 mmHg
Left atrial or wedge pressure
10 mmHg
Cardiac output (L/min)
5 L/min
PVR (dyn·s/cm⁵)
320 dynes * sec * cm-5

Assumptions and limitations

  • The left atrial pressure control represents the downstream pressure, commonly pulmonary arterial wedge pressure. Use catheter measurements from the same state. This is unindexed PVR, not PVR indexed to body surface area. Diagnostic definitions require additional clinical criteria.
  • Arithmetic inverses use independent observations. Clear the unknown control before entering the remaining measurements.
  • This measurement calculation does not determine a diagnosis or treatment.

Common questions

How is this result calculated?

PVR (dyn·s/cm⁵) = 80 × (mean pulmonary artery pressure − left atrial/wedge pressure) / cardiac output in L/min.

Which measurements and units should I use?

The left atrial pressure control represents the downstream pressure, commonly pulmonary arterial wedge pressure. Use catheter measurements from the same state. This is unindexed PVR, not PVR indexed to body surface area. Diagnostic definitions require additional clinical criteria.

References

Bookify adds independently reviewed bounds for pvr: mean_mpap >= left_arterial_pressure; left_arterial_pressure >= 0; cardiac_output > 0.

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