Integrating the Hemodynamic Profile with Clinical Assessment

Hemodynamic profiling has become common practice in critical care units. While the ability to monitor, measure, and calculate the many parameters related to cardiac output is a valuable adjunct in the care of the critically ill, it cannot be used as a substitute for sound clinical assessment. The ability to integrate the hemodynamic profile with clinical assessment is necessary if patients arc to receive comprehensive critical care. In addition, assessment frameworks such as Forrester’s subsets of hemodynamic compromise provide clinically useful guidance in the diagnosis and treatment of a variety of clinical challenges