Central venous pressure (CVP)

Central venous pressure (CVP) is the blood pressure measured in the thoracic vena cava near the right atrium; it closely approximates right atrial pressure and is a clinical measurement used to estimate blood volume status, essentially reflecting venous return and cardiac preload. It is not a molecule, protein, or drug target, but an important physiological variable in the management of critically ill patients. Monitoring CVP can help assess right ventricular function, guide fluid therapy, and alert clinicians to potential problems such as heart failure, fluid overload, or organ dysfunction. Elevated CVP is associated with worse patient outcomes and should trigger further diagnostic evaluation and corrective intervention; however, CVP should never be used in isolation and is best interpreted alongside other hemodynamic parameters.

Other names

Right atrial pressureCVP