Prediction of acute asthma exacerbation severity and interrater reliability of manual pulsus paradoxus measurement

Pulsus paradoxus (PP) represents an exaggeration of the normal fluctuation of left ventricular stroke volume and systolic blood pressure during the respiratory cycle.1 This physiologic phenomenon was first described by Lower in 1669 and the term pulsus paradoxus first applied by Kussmaul in 1873.2 PP measurement is recommended to identify or assess the severity of acute asthma exacerbations, tension pneumothorax, cardiac tamponade and other potentially life-threatening disorders.3
Source: Annals of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology - Category: Allergy & Immunology Authors: Tags: Letters Source Type: research