arterial and venous pressures

Specialties Urology

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Can someone explain the arterial and venous pressures. Would a 130 - 150 be considered good?

Can someone explain the arterial and venous pressures. Would a 130 - 150 be considered good?

Arterial and venous pressures are dependent on the patient's access and the QBS.

Specializes in Hemodialysis, Home Health.

Ideally, the arterial pressure should be no more than - 250, and the venous no greater than 300.

But, as mentioned above, it depends much on the patient's access. If the pressures exceed the above limits..on either arterial or venous, we will turn down the blood flow rate on the pump.

(after first checking for any occlusions, kinks in the line, and repositioning the needle if we feel this MIGHT be warranted.)

Would that mean that -130 would be good. A larger needle was used, not sure why, but that is what nurse told patient. Usually AP runs -200. This was contributed to larger needle and nurse said that -130 was good. Never been below -180. Actually, don't know if this is related but patient has the best day, after dialysis, then she has in a while. I

Specializes in Hemodialysis, Home Health.
Would that mean that -130 would be good. A larger needle was used, not sure why, but that is what nurse told patient. Usually AP runs -200. This was contributed to larger needle and nurse said that -130 was good. Never been below -180. Actually, don't know if this is related but patient has the best day, after dialysis, then she has in a while. I

Again, it would help to know what size (gauge) needle is being used, as well as the BFR (blood flow rate).

Most of our patients use a 15 gauge needle ( we have a few who use a 14 gauge) and most patients' BFR is anywhere from 400-500. Their arterial pressures range anywhere from -180 to-250. That's pretty much par.

SO... if this patient is using a 15 gauge needle, a BFR of 400-500 and his/her arterial pressure is -130.... sure, that's good.. unusual, but good. If his/her BFR, however, is usually 300 or 350, then that would explain the -130... get what I mean?

And... new fistula's are usually started (at our clinic) with 17 ga needles..and the fastest we can run the BFR is 300... and get around 200-250 AP.

You jump up to a 15 ga 2-4 weeks later...you can run BFR at 500...and keep the AP lower... It is a GOOD thing! :chuckle

Specializes in Hemodialysis, Home Health.
And... new fistula's are usually started (at our clinic) with 17 ga needles..and the fastest we can run the BFR is 300... and get around 200-250 AP.

You jump up to a 15 ga 2-4 weeks later...you can run BFR at 500...and keep the AP lower... It is a GOOD thing! :chuckle

Ditto. :)

A good rule of thumb for venus pressure.....

Generally speaking, the ideal venous pressure should be about half of the BFR.

Specializes in Hemodialysis, Home Health.
A good rule of thumb for venus pressure.....

Generally speaking, the ideal venous pressure should be about half of the BFR.

I like that. Thanx ! :)

Can someone explain the arterial and venous pressures. Would a 130 - 150 be considered good?

Let me jump in here. Arterial pressure is the negative "pull" on the patient's access if your delivery system is measuring pre-pump arterial pressure. So, a -250mm/hg is the max. arterial presure that should be exerted on an access. To run a patient with a more negative arterial pressure is setting the patient up for potential damage to the access and the risk of hemolysis.

Venous pressure ,according to Dr. Steve Schwab, Duke University, should be no more that 60% of the QB. The easiest way to measure the venous pressure is to take a venous pressure reading with the blood pump set at 2oocc/min. Your venous pressure should be no more than 120mm/hg with a pump speed of 200. Conversely, too low vensou pressure is not good either. It is an indicator that you are not moving enough blood through your system to prevent clotting on the dialyzer.

Hope this helps.

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