[Usability of methods for the determination of minute cardiac volume under clinical conditions]

Methods for determination of cardiac output are described and their evaluation and possibilities to use them in clinical practice mentioned. Out of the invasive methods apart from the classical Fick's method, the dye dilution method is of advantage during catheterization, being relatively simple and ready to be easily repeated if necessary directly at the bed side. The common disadvantage of all invasive methods is the disturbance of the patient's basal state. Noninvasive methods yield results suitable more or less for orientation only. From these techniques the indirect method of Fick using the rebreathing of CO2 is simple and can be applied at the bed side. So called physical methods are already obsolete at present.