Normal Hemodynamic Values
Every normal hemodynamic value you need in one place — right-heart and left-heart pressures, oxygen saturations by chamber, cardiac output and index, and vascular resistances. Bookmark this chart, calculate from your own numbers, and understand what each figure means.
Normal hemodynamic values chart
At a glance: RA 2–6 · RV 15–30/2–8 · PA 15–30/8–15 (mean 10–20) · PCWP 6–12 · LV 100–140/3–12 · Aorta 100–140/60–90 · Cardiac output 4–8 L/min · Cardiac index 2.5–4.0 · SVR 800–1200 · PVR <250 dynes·s·cm⁻⁵ (all pressures in mmHg).
| Site | Systolic / Diastolic (mmHg) | Mean (mmHg) |
|---|---|---|
| Right atrium (RA) / CVP | — | 2–6 |
| Right ventricle (RV) | 15–30 / 2–8 | — |
| Pulmonary artery (PA) | 15–30 / 8–15 | 10–20 |
| PCWP (wedge) / left atrium | — | 6–12 |
| Left ventricle (LV) | 100–140 / 3–12 | — |
| Aorta | 100–140 / 60–90 | 70–105 |
These are standard adult resting values. Individual labs may use slightly different cut-offs, and pressures shift with volume status, sedation, and disease.
What hemodynamic values are (and why they matter)
Hemodynamics is simply the study of blood pressure and flow through the heart and vessels. During a right-heart catheterization — usually with a Swan-Ganz catheter — a clinician measures the pressure in each chamber, samples oxygen saturations, and calculates cardiac output. Read together, those numbers reveal how well the heart is filling, pumping, and unloading.
For the RCIS exam and the cath lab alike, the fastest way to interpret a case is to compare each measured value against its normal range. A high wedge with a normal right atrium points one way; equal, elevated pressures across every chamber point somewhere else entirely. Knowing the normals cold is the foundation.
Normal oxygen saturations by chamber
| Site | O₂ saturation |
|---|---|
| Superior vena cava (SVC) | ~70% |
| Inferior vena cava (IVC) | ~75% |
| Right atrium / RV / PA (mixed venous) | ~70–75% |
| Pulmonary vein / LA / LV / aorta (systemic arterial) | ~95–100% |
Saturations are the other half of the picture. A sudden step-up in oxygen saturation along the right heart signals a left-to-right shunt — a step-up at the right atrium suggests an atrial septal defect, at the right ventricle a ventricular septal defect, and at the pulmonary artery a patent ductus arteriosus.
Cardiac output, index, and stroke volume
| Value | Normal range |
|---|---|
| Cardiac output (CO) | 4–8 L/min |
| Cardiac index (CI) | 2.5–4.0 L/min/m² |
| Stroke volume (SV) | 60–100 mL |
| Stroke volume index (SVI) | 33–47 mL/m² |
| Ejection fraction (EF) | 55–70% |
| Mixed venous O₂ saturation (SvO₂) | 60–75% |
Cardiac index adjusts output for body size, so it grades low-output states more fairly than the raw number — a cardiac index below 2.2 L/min/m² is the classic threshold for cardiogenic shock, regardless of the patient's height. See the difference explained in cardiac output vs cardiac index.
Vascular resistances and derived oxygen values
| Value | Normal range |
|---|---|
| Systemic vascular resistance (SVR) | 800–1200 dynes·s·cm⁻⁵ |
| Pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR) | <250 dynes·s·cm⁻⁵ (< ~3 Wood units) |
| Arterial O₂ content (CaO₂) | ~16–20 mL O₂/dL |
| Oxygen extraction ratio | ~25% |
| Oxygen consumption (VO₂) | ~250 mL/min (≈125 mL/min/m²) |
Resistance ties pressure and flow together: a low SVR with a high output is the warm, vasodilated profile of distributive (septic) shock, while a high SVR with a low output fits cardiogenic shock. Read the full picture in the systemic vascular resistance guide.
Calculate your own values
Plug in your patient's numbers and the calculator below works out cardiac output, index, stroke volume, resistances, and more — with each result flagged against its normal range.
Open the full calculator → · Prefer paper? Print the normal hemodynamic values cheat sheet.
How the values are measured
Right-sided pressures and saturations come from a balloon-tipped catheter floated through the right heart; the wedge pressure is read with the balloon inflated to estimate left atrial pressure. Left-sided pressures (LV, aorta) come from a catheter placed retrograde across the aortic valve. Cardiac output is measured by thermodilution (a cold saline bolus) or calculated by the Fick principle from oxygen consumption and the arteriovenous oxygen difference.
Each pressure has a characteristic shape as well as a number. Learning to read those shapes — the a, c, and v waves, the dip-and-plateau, the giant v wave — is covered in our guide to Swan-Ganz catheter waveforms and the interactive pressure-waveform atlas.
How to memorise the normal values
Pressure ladder (mmHg): RA 2–6 → RV 25/5 → PA 25/10 → PCWP 6–12 → LV 120/8 → Aorta 120/80. Notice how systolic pressure jumps from the RA to the RV, and how the diastolic pressure rises from the RV to the PA — that step-up is how you know the catheter has entered the pulmonary artery.
Anchor everything to that ladder, then layer on the saturations (venous ~75%, arterial ~98%) and the output figures. Drill them until recall is automatic with the free hemodynamics question bank.
Lock in the normal values
Free hemodynamics questions with worked explanations.
Practise Hemodynamics →Frequently asked questions
What are the normal hemodynamic values?
Standard adult resting values are: RA 2–6, RV 15–30/2–8, PA 15–30/8–15 (mean 10–20), PCWP 6–12, LV 100–140/3–12, and aorta 100–140/60–90 mmHg; cardiac output 4–8 L/min, cardiac index 2.5–4.0 L/min/m², SVR 800–1200 and PVR <250 dynes·s·cm⁻⁵.
What is a normal PCWP?
A normal pulmonary capillary wedge pressure is about 6–12 mmHg. It estimates left atrial and left-ventricular filling pressure, so elevation suggests left-heart failure or volume overload.
What is a normal cardiac output and cardiac index?
Normal cardiac output is 4–8 L/min. Indexed to body surface area it becomes cardiac index, normally 2.5–4.0 L/min/m². A cardiac index under 2.2 suggests cardiogenic shock.
What is a normal mixed venous oxygen saturation?
Mixed venous O₂ saturation, sampled in the pulmonary artery, is normally about 60–75%. A low value suggests the tissues are extracting more oxygen because output is low.
What is a normal SVR and PVR?
Systemic vascular resistance is normally 800–1200 dynes·s·cm⁻⁵, and pulmonary vascular resistance is under about 250 dynes·s·cm⁻⁵ (less than ~3 Wood units).
What is a normal right atrial pressure?
A normal right atrial (or central venous) mean pressure is about 2–6 mmHg. It reflects right-heart filling and rises with right-heart failure, tamponade, or fluid overload.
How are hemodynamic values measured?
Right-heart pressures and saturations are measured with a pulmonary artery (Swan-Ganz) catheter; left-heart pressures are measured directly. Cardiac output is found by thermodilution or the Fick method.
Why is cardiac index more useful than cardiac output?
Because it accounts for body size. The same 4 L/min output is adequate for a small person but low for a large one, so indexing to body surface area grades severity more fairly.
Sources & further reading
- Cardiovascular Credentialing International (CCI)
- American College of Cardiology
- American Heart Association
- MedlinePlus (U.S. National Library of Medicine)
External links are provided for reference; always confirm current details with the official source.