Value of Combined Hemodynamic and Radiocardiographic Studies in Acute Respiratory Failure

Hemodynamic abnormalities may result from or precipitate acute respiratory failure from a variety of etiologies. Thus, the clinical assessment of associated left ventricular dysfunction or pulmonary embolism may be difficult, particularly with severe underlying chronic obstructive lung disease, extensive pneumonia, or the adult respiratory-distress syndrome. In these situations rales and rhonchi are common and may obscure heart sounds. ECG abnormalities may be nonspecific, and portable chest radiographs taken in the anteroposterior view make interpretation of subtle changes in cardiac silhouette and lung parenchyma difficult.