Estimating pulmonary artery pressure by echocardiography (modified Bernoulli equation)
Core concept
- Echo estimates right ventricular systolic pressure (RVSP), a surrogate for pulmonary artery systolic pressure (equal in the absence of pulmonary stenosis/RVOT obstruction), from the tricuspid regurgitant jet velocity
- Uses the modified Bernoulli equation: Pressure gradient (RV-RA) = 4 x V^2 (V = peak TR jet velocity in m/s)
- RVSP = 4V^2 + estimated RA pressure (RA pressure added because the gradient is RV-to-RA, not RV-to-zero)
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