Oral Water Ingestion in Heart Transplant Patients

Acute Hemodynamic Effects of Oral Water in a Stable Cardiac Transplant Population

In this study the investigators propose to assess the hemodynamic response to the ingestion of 16 fl oz of water. The investigators will test the hypothesis that water ingestion will increase the systemic vascular resistance.

In this study we propose to assess the hemodynamic response to the ingestion of 16 fl oz of water. We will test the hypothesis that water ingestion will increase the systemic vascular resistance. This study will occur in patients status post cardiac transplantation during their clinical right heart catheterizations. Invasive hemodynamics including cardiac outputs and plasma norepinephrine levels will be measured before and 30 min after the water ingestion.

Inclusion Criteria:

• s/p cardiac transplantation scheduled for clinical right heart catheterization
• age > 18 years

Exclusion Criteria:

• significant tricuspid regurgitation
• inability to safely swallow 500 ml of water
• other major medical comorbidities such as advanced renal disease where water ingestion may be harmful to patient