Effects of Body Surface Area-Indexed Calculations in the Morbidly Obese: A Mathematical Analysis

Conclusion: In morbidly obese patients, cardiac and stroke indices can be misleading relative to the underlying raw values (CO and SV) as a result of distortion by widely used BSA formulae. The authors caution against relying on threshold cardiac and stroke indices as triggers for the initiation of hemodynamic therapies in the morbidly obese. Further research on what BSA formula should be used on patients with very extreme body types is warranted.
Source: Journal of Cardiothoracic and Vascular Anesthesia - Category: Anesthesiology Authors: Tags: Original Article Source Type: research