Beat to beat changes in cardiac output during standardized Valsalva's manoeuvres were recorded using electrical bioimpedance cardiography in 13 normal subjects. Cardiac output increased by 12 +/- 5% after 1 s of straining solely because of an increase in heart rate. Subsequently, cardiac stroke volume and cardiac output fell during the strain to lows of -40 +/- 6% and -21 +/- 3% respectively at 15 s. There was a sustained increased in cardiac output (maximum +17 +/- 4%) in the late post strain period. The mean coefficient of variation in impedance measurements of cardiac output was 6.8% during all parts of Valsalva's manoeuvre, with no single value exceeding 10%.