Therapy

Why?

• Critically-ill patients who have right heart catheterisation (Swan-Ganz catheter) as part of initial management strategy are more likely to die ^b
• Costs of care, intensity of care and length of stay in ICU are higher in patients managed by right heart catheterisation ^b

Right heart catheterisation is associated with increased mortality

Patient	Prognostic Factor	Outcome	CER	OR (95% CI)	NNF+ (95% CI)
critically-ill b	right heart catheterisation independent	death at 6 months	46% (45% to 48%)	1.21 (1.09 to 1.25)	21 (18 to 47)