jugular venous pressure (JVP), blood pressure in the jugular vein, which reflects the volume and pressure of venous blood. If the neck veins are filled only to a point a few millimeters above the clavicle at the end of exhalation, JVP is usually normal. With an elevated JVP the neck veins may be distended as high as the angle of the jaw. An elevated JVP is typically a sign of congestive heart failure.
Evaluation of JVP. With the patient lying at about 45°, the highest point of pulsation of the jugular vein is identified (arrowhead). This is then related to the angle of Louis, found at the junction of the manubrium with the body of the sternum (asterisk). The vertical distance to the top of the jugular venous wave (arrow) can be determined and reported, in centimeters, as the JVP (Beigel et al, 2013)
