This document provides an overview of cardiac monitoring techniques including stethoscopy, electrocardiography, pulse rate monitoring, arterial blood pressure monitoring, central venous pressure monitoring, and pulmonary artery catheterization. Key points include: stethoscopy was introduced in 1818 but is not used for continuous monitoring; electrocardiography is the most common method to detect heart rate; differences exist between heart rate and pulse rate; noninvasive and invasive blood pressure monitoring methods are described along with their complications; central venous pressure monitoring provides information on right atrial pressure; and pulmonary artery catheters allow direct measurement of pressures and cardiac output in critically ill patients.