Pulmonary Vascular Resistance Calculator

Formula

The formula to calculate the Pulmonary Vascular Resistance (PVR) is:

\[ \text{PVR} = \frac{\text{MPAP} - \text{PCWP}}{\text{CO}} \times 80 \]

Where:

\(\text{PVR}\) is the Pulmonary Vascular Resistance (dyn·s/cm⁵)
\(\text{MPAP}\) is the Mean Pulmonary Artery Pressure (mmHg)
\(\text{PCWP}\) is the Pulmonary Capillary Wedge Pressure (mmHg)
\(\text{CO}\) is the Cardiac Output (L/min)

What is Pulmonary Vascular Resistance?

Pulmonary Vascular Resistance (PVR) is a measure of the resistance or opposition to blood flow that the lungs provide in the circulatory system. It is an important factor in understanding how effectively the heart is pumping blood through the lungs. High PVR, often caused by diseases such as pulmonary hypertension, can put strain on the right side of the heart and lead to heart failure. It is typically measured in units of dyn·s/cm⁵ or Wood units.

Example Calculation

Let's consider an example:

Mean Pulmonary Artery Pressure (MPAP): 25 mmHg
Pulmonary Capillary Wedge Pressure (PCWP): 10 mmHg
Cardiac Output (CO): 5 L/min

Using the formula to calculate the Pulmonary Vascular Resistance:

\[ \text{PVR} = \frac{25 - 10}{5} \times 80 = 240 \text{ dyn·s/cm⁵} \]

This means that the Pulmonary Vascular Resistance (PVR) is 240 dyn·s/cm⁵.