[Estimation of the jugular venous pressure].

Estimation of jugular venous pressure (JVP) is valuable for the differentiation between dyspnoea of cardiac or pulmonary origin, and for determining the cause of oedema. JVP assessments are useful for evaluation of treatment of right ventricular failure. The correlation between non-invasive JVP and invasive measurement of the central venous pressure (CVP) is remarkably better than previously reported. Correlation between JVP - determined via the external jugular vein - and CVP is excellent when the outcomes are categorised into low, normal and elevated pressure. Optimal measurement configurations include: extended expiration (without Valsalva manoeuvre), and during ventricular diastole. In the literature, these measurement configurations concerning the respiratory cycle and cardiac cycle have not been applied uniformly. To investigate in detail the correlation between JVP and CVP, the methods need to be standardized, and tests performed simultaneously and correctly.