Het meten van de centraalveneuze druk aan de jugulaire polsgolf

- By measuring central venous pressure during physical examination one quickly obtains information about the patient's volume status and cardiac function.

- For such measurements to be reliable there must be a free communication between the jugular vein (usually the right external or internal) and the right atrium.

- Venous pulsations must be visible and the point of venous collapse has to be clearly identified. During measurement the flow of blood through the vein must be halted.

- The sternal angle of the second rib is used as reference point.

- It is recommendable to use an instrument rather than the eye to estimate venous pressure.

- Although several studies have been performed to validate the external measurement of venous pressure, most of these are methodologically unsound.