Central venous pressure (CVP) is the measurement of right heart filling pressure.
- Central venous pressure (CVP) measured in superior vena cava (SVC) is identical to right atrial pressure (RAP).
- CVP is most commonly elevated in the setting of biventricular heart failure.
- Other causes of RAP elevation are tricuspid regurgitation or stenosis, pulmonary hypertension, volume overload, constrictive pericarditis, and cardiac tamponade.
- The central venous pressure (CVP) and right atrial pressure (RAP) are nearly equal to the diastolic RV pressure in the absence of heart or lung disease
- When viewing the CVP waveform the wave fluctuations are due to contractions of the heart.
CVP – normal value 0 - 8 mmHg
RAP = CVP
RAP = CVP