Abdominojugular test
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The abdominojugular test, also known as hepatojugular reflux, is used as an alternate test for measuring jugular venous pressure (JVP) through the distension or swelling of the jugular vein. A positive test is an indicator of right sided heart insufficiency.
[edit] Procedure
The doctor presses firmly over the midabdomen (liver) for 10 seconds while observing veins in the neck. On an otherwise healthy individual, the jugular venous pressure remains constant or temporarily rises for a heartbeat or two, before returning to normal. This negative result would be indicated by a lack of swelling of the jugular vein. A positive result is when the jugular venous pressure rises during the test, as indicated by distension of the jugular vein up to 4 cm throughout the entire 10 seconds of the test.
