Oxygen saturation measurements in acute heart failure syndrome

Abstract

The primary physiologic task of the cardiovascular system is to deliver enough oxygen (O2) to meet the metabolic demands of the body. The monitoring of venous O2 saturation measurements (venous oximetry) seems to be more sensible to hemodynamic changes than the simple monitoring of cardiac output in patients with acute heart failure. Indeed, a drop in mixed venous oxygen saturation is a marker not only of decreased cardiac output but also of decreased hemoglobin concentration, impaired arterial oxygenation, and increased tissue oxygen demand. Monitoring venous oxygen saturation is increasingly used as a clinical marker of systemic oxygen utilization in critically ill patients, particularly those with hemodynamic alteration (1,2). © 2008 Springer-Verlag London.