Cardiac output provides information about the functioning of the heart, often more quickly than blood pressure does. This information is especially valuable for critically ill patients or during surgery. Additionally, the values can be used to determine whether a patient needs fluids and/or medication in these situations. Measuring cardiac output is complicated and is most accurate when measured invasively, which carries risks. This dissertation focuses on developments in non-invasive hemodynamic monitoring, examining the reliability and clinical applicability of various non-invasive hemodynamic monitors using different statistical models. No study demonstrated acceptable reliability of non-invasive devices. There is considerable variation in statistical models, making comparisons difficult. Comparison studies should adopt a uniform method of statistical analysis with an eye toward clinical applicability.
Sjoerd Servaas (1984) obtained his medical degree from Leiden University in 2009, after which he worked as a military doctor for the Royal Netherlands Air Force. In 2017, he began his training to become an anesthesiologist at the Radboud University Medical Center and has combined this with his PhD research since 2020 at the same department. He is currently working as an anesthesiologist at the Spaarne Gasthuis.