Active Expiration and the Measurement of Central Venous Pressure.

Purpose: To obtain a point prevalence estimate of alterations in central venous pressure (CVP) produced by active expiration in a consecutive series of intensive care patients.

Methods: We evaluated CVP tracings taken by the nurses at their morning shift change in a consecutive series of 60 cardiac surgery and 59 noncardiac surgery patients. We also assessed change in values due to the change in transducer level.