Which monitoring line is used to assess blood pressure and mean arterial pressure in this patient?

• A. Central venous catheter
• B. Pulmonary artery catheter
• C. Peripheral arterial line
• D. ECG leads

Answer: (C)

The main idea is continuous systemic arterial pressure monitoring. A peripheral arterial line is connected to a pressure transducer and provides beat‑to‑beat recording of arterial pressure, from which you get systolic, diastolic, and mean arterial pressure in real time. This real-time MAP is crucial during CABG to ensure the heart and grafts receive enough perfusion, especially during anesthesia changes, cross-clamping, or transitions in bypass.

A central venous catheter measures central venous pressure and access for meds or drawing blood, but it does not give continuous arterial pressure or an accurate systemic MAP. A pulmonary artery catheter can provide pulmonary pressures and cardiac output, but not a direct, continuous readout of systemic arterial pressure. ECG leads monitor electrical activity, not pressure.