Background. Pulmonary capillary wedge pressure (PCWP) is considered to be a surrogate of left ventricular end diastolic pressure (LVEDP).

What does Lvedp measure?

Left ventricular end-diastolic pressure (LVEDP) is an important measure of ventricular performance and may identify patients at increased risk for developing late clinical symptoms of heart failure (HF).

Is left atrial pressure the same as Lvedp?

Left ventricular end-diastolic pressure (LVEDP) and mean left atrial pressure (LAP) cannot be used interchangeably as they will often differ in magnitude in the presence of cardiac disease and they also have different clinical significance.

A low LVEDP, or a LVEDP in the normal range (4–12 mmHg), suggests the presence of preload reserve and, therefore, the likelihood of responsiveness to intravascular volume infusion, whereas a LVEDP >20 mmHg, and possibly >15 mmHg, indicates minimal preload reserve and, therefore, minimal volume responsiveness (Fig. 1).