Left ventricular filling pressures in cardiac patients

Pulmonary artery end-diastolic pressure (PADP), pulmonary artery wedge pressure (PAWP), and pre-"a" wave left ventricular diastolic pressure (LVDP) were correlated with post-"a" wave left ventricular end-diastolic pressure (LVEDP) in 51 patients with coronary disease and in 43 cardiac patients with non-coronary disease, excluding mitral stenosis. In patients with coronary disease, the PADP was more closely correlated with PAWP (r=0.83) and LVDP (r=0.84) than with LVEDP (r=0.62). In patients with non-coronary disease, the PADP also was more closely correlated with PAWP (r=0.82) and LVDP (r=0.77) than with LVEDP (r=0.70). In patients with coronary disease, the PAWP was well correlated with LVDP (r=0.94) and with LVEDP (r=0.84). In patients with non-coronary disease, the PAWP was well correlated with LVDP (r=0.81) and with LVEDP (r=0.81). The PADP and PAWP may be helpful in evaluating left ventricular function at the bedside.