Hemodynamic changes in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Right cardiac catheterization was performed in 136 patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Forty-three of these patients had a second study a mean of 25 months later (range, 18 to 38 months). The changes in hemodynamic data over a period of 25 months were small. The cardiac index decreased 6%, and the mean pulmonary arterial pressure increased 7%. The changes were similar in patients with and those without emphysema.