Mean Arterial Pressure Calculation and Clinical Significance

Introduction to MAP

• The mean arterial pressure (MAP) represents the average arterial pressure during a single cardiac cycle, considered the perfusion pressure seen by organs in the body, as noted by the Society of Critical Care Medicine 1
• A MAP of 65 mmHg is often used as a target threshold in critical care settings to ensure adequate organ perfusion, according to the Society of Critical Care Medicine 2

Clinical Context and Management

• In septic shock management, current guidelines from the Society of Critical Care Medicine recommend maintaining MAP ≥65 mmHg 2
• In trauma without brain injury, a lower MAP may be acceptable until bleeding is controlled, as suggested by the European Society of Intensive Care Medicine 3
• In patients with traumatic brain injury, a higher MAP (≥80 mmHg) is often targeted, according to the Brain Injury Foundation 3