pulmonary vascular resistance
Also written as: PVR — Pulmonary Vascular Resistance
The resistance to blood flow through the pulmonary circulation, measured to assess operability in congenital heart disease.
Full Definition
Pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR) quantifies the opposition to blood flow through the pulmonary vascular bed and is a critical parameter in evaluating patients with congenital heart disease. Measured in Wood units or dynes·sec·cm⁻⁵, elevated PVR may indicate pulmonary vascular disease and can contraindicate corrective surgery for certain defects. In patients with left-to-right shunts, chronically elevated pulmonary pressures and flow can lead to irreversible pulmonary vascular changes. PVR testing often includes vasoreactivity studies to determine if elevated resistance is reversible with pulmonary vasodilators.
Usage
Usage note: Commonly abbreviated as PVR in clinical documentation.
In Context
- "The patient's pulmonary vascular resistance was 8 Wood units, suggesting borderline operability." — Pre-surgical evaluation
- "Vasoreactivity testing showed a 20% reduction in pulmonary vascular resistance with inhaled nitric oxide." — Catheterization report