These results indicate that lithium dilution is a suitable method for measuring cardiac output in horses. As well as being accurate, it avoids the need for pulmonary artery catheterization and is quick and safe to use. Monitoring cardiac output during anesthesia in horses may help reduce the high anesthetic mortality in this species.

Theoretical justification for treating primary indicator dilution curves as lognormal is presented. A simple method of deriving the integral of the primary indicator dilution curve is described. It uses the whole of the curve up to a point short of recirculation, avoiding the problem which can occur with the classical Hamilton extrapolation method when the cardiac output is low and recirculation distorts the primary curve in the early part of the washout.

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Injection of lithium chloride via the basilic vein in the antecubital fossa allows accurate lithium dilution cardiac output measurements to be made in patients who do not have central venous catheters in place.