Age (years) 67 ± 9 Sex (Male/Female) 30/26 Type of surgery:   CABG 14(25%) Valve 13(23%) Combined 29(51%) Pharmacological support:   Inotropes 74/300 Inodilators 31/300 Combined 142/300 Cardiac Index >/= 2 259/300 Cardiac Index < 2 41/300

Table 1: Patients’ characteristics (n=56, measurements=300) Data are expressed as mean ± Standard deviation (Age), ratio (Sex), number and percentage (Type of surgery), and number of measurements (pharmacological support and cardiac index), CABG: coronary artery bypass graft