Table 2

Causes of acute right ventricular failure

Acute rise in pulmonary vascular resistance, such as due to acute pulmonary embolism or rapidly progressive pulmonary parenchymal/vascular disease

Acute right ventricular ischaemia, often due to diminished right coronary perfusion consequent upon inadequate systolic and diastolic pressures in shocked states

Acute high left atrial pressures, perhaps due to acute left ventricular failure of any cause

Decompensation of chronic pulmonary arterial hypertension

Decompensation of congenital heart defects with pulmonary arterial hypertension or left-to-right intracardiac shunts

After surgery necessitating cardiopulmonary bypass per se

Hypoxaemia causing hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction

Creagh-Brown et al. Critical Care 2009 13:221   doi:10.1186/cc7734