H21 Impedance Cardiography

This BSL PRO lesson describes hardware and software setup of the BSL System to record ECG, Impedance (Z₀), and Derivative Impedance (dZ/dt), and measure relative differences in Cardiac Output and Stroke Volume using a noninvasive bioimpedance technique.

The Lesson Procedure for BSL 4.0.1 or above includes an extensively updated physiological introduction that covers Cardiac Output as a Function of Stroke Volume and Heart Rate, Cardiac Output as Related to Mean Arterial Pressure and Peripheral Resistance, How to Determine Cardiac Output, Principles of Impedance Cardiography (ICG), and Ideas for eliciting cardiovascular responses through physical maneuvers and psychological tasks.

Suggested reading: Methodological Guidelines for Impedance Cardiography , PSYCHOPHYSIOLOGY, Vol. 27, No. 1.

Experimental Objectives

For BSL 4.0.1 or above:

1. Learn impedance cardiography techniques.
2. Measure the change in cardiovascular responses—Stroke Volume (SV), Cardiac Output (CO), and Heart Rate (HR)—to postural changes (supine vs. standing).
3. Examine how HR and SV interact to maintain CO.
4. Experiment with other ways to elicit cardiovascular responses (active learning).

For BSL 4.0.0 or below:

1. Obtain stroke volume data.
2. Obtain cardiac output data.
3. Correlate heart valve opening/closing with cardiac output.

Tasks Performed by the Student

Student Prep & Distance Learning

Click the link(s) below for sample data and/or lesson procedure video(s), BSL PRO Lesson procedures (PDF) for human lessons*, and graph template files (*.gtl) for BSL PRO Lessons. If more than one .gtl is available, download the .gtl with the _suffix to match BSL version and hardware.

• BSL PRO Lesson H21 for SS31LA with Spot Electrodes (PDF)
• Graph template for Lesson H21 with with older SS31L and BSL PRO 4.0.1 or above
• Graph template for Lesson H21 with with older SS31L and BSL PRO 4.0.1 or above and MP45
• BSL PRO Lesson H21 for BSL 3 (PDF)
• Graph template for Lesson H21 with older SS31L and BSL PRO 3

Lesson Hardware

This lesson requires a Biopac Student Lab (BSL) System and the following hardware. If your BSL System does not include all hardware items, expand your system by selecting required items below. For more details, review the Lesson: L# BSL Lessons - see the Lab Manual or launch BSL; A# and H# BSL PRO Lessons, click the PDF link above to review full setup, recording, and analysis procedures.