1560 NORMAL ARTERIAL BLOOD PRESSURES IN THE VERY PREMATURE INFANT

Abstract

Hypotension is a frequent diagnosis in the very premature infant and it may be associated with neurological sequellae. Due to the absence of base line data on normal blood pressure in premature infants beyond the first 12 hrs after birth, we designed our study to provide these important clinical data. To facilitate decision making in this important aspect of neonatal intensive care, we used the Hewlett-Packard neonatal monitor model #78205D to hourly record the direct arterial blood pressure on 145 premature infants. The infants were divided into two groups. 79 patients were between the gestational ages of 24-29 wks with a mean birth weight of 1.04 kilo. 66 patients were between the gestational ages of 30-34 wks with a mean birth weight of 1.6 kilo. In each patient group, the blood pressures were blocked into small increments of time thru the sixth postnatal day. The first two days were blocked into eight 6 hr intervals. Days three and four were blocked into six 8 hr intervals. Days five and six were blocked into four 12 hr intervals.

These detailed descriptive data on blood pressures should facilitate the diagnosis of hypotension in the very premature infant.

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