Perioperative Hemodynamic Monitoring for High Risk Surgical Patients

The word “hemodynamics” is derived from the Greek words haima (blood) and dunamis (powerful). Broadly, hemodynamics refers to the physics dictating the motion of blood as it moves through arteries and veins. It is a subject that has fascinated scientists for millennia. From the first characterization of pulses by Hippocrates in 375 BC to William Harvey’s conceptualization of circulation in the 1600s, the observation of hemodynamics has played a vital role in advancing the understanding of physiology and management of patients and disease. Fast forwarding to today, technology to monitor hemodynamics has profoundly augmented our understanding of physiology and the ability to improve patient outcomes. These forms of monitoring range from invasive arterial cannulas to observe beat-to-beat blood pressures to finger cuffs that analyze pressure waveforms and non-invasively calculate cardiac output.