Question: why is svo2 lower than scvo2?
Answer: ScvO2 is a regional reflection (head and upper body) of that balance. Under normal conditions ScvO2 is slightly lower than SvO2 due in part to the mixing and amount of venous blood retuning. In hemodynamically unstable patients, this relationship changes with ScvO2 being higher than SvO2 by approximately 7%.