Fluid Responsiveness Prediction Using Extra Systoles

Fluids are generally administered to patients in order to improve circulation. However, fluids do not always improve circulation and fluids have side effects. Unfortunately, it is difficult to predict whether fluid administration improves the circulation, i.e. it is difficult to predict fluid responsiveness The overall aim of this observational study is to investigate if analysis of spontaneously occuring extra systoles can give the answer: The second beat in the extra systole - the post ectopic beat - is a normal sinus beat but it has experienced the compensatory pause, i.e. this beat is associated with increased filling time and in turn associated with increased filling. As such, the post ectopic beat shows how the heart responds to increased filling. Therefore, the hypothesis of this study is that the hemodynamic response to the increased filling at the post ectopic beat (compared with sinus beats) can predict fluid responsiveness