Patent ID: 7588542

Claim:
A device for determining a hemodynamic parameter of a patient by pulse contour analysis, comprising: an input channel for reading in a pressure signal that changes over time and at least approximately corresponds to an aorta pressure of a patient, or an arterial pressure close to the aorta, as a function of time p(t); and an evaluation unit for calculating the hemodynamic parameter, using the function p(t) and a systemic vascular resistance of the body of the patient SVR, wherein the evaluation unit is adapted to regularly recalculate the systemic vascular resistance of the body of the patient SVR, using the function p(t) without requiring recalibration by thermodilution methods between repeated recalculations of the systemic vascular resistance, wherein the recalculation of the systemic vascular resistance SVR comprises a determination of a time constant τ of an approximately exponential pressure drop during a diastole.