Link to the University of Pittsburgh Homepage
Link to the University Library System Homepage Link to the Contact Us Form

Cardiovascular issues in respiratory care

Pinsky, MR (2005) Cardiovascular issues in respiratory care. Chest, 128 (5 SUPP). 592S - 597S. ISSN 0012-3692

[img] Plain Text (licence)
Available under License : See the attached license file.

Download (1kB)

Abstract

The hemodynamic effects of ventilation are complex but can be grouped under four clinically relevant concepts. First, spontaneous ventilation is exercise, and critically ill patients may not withstand the increased work of breathing. Initiation of mechanical ventilatory support will improve oxygen delivery to the remainder of the body by decreasing oxygen consumption. To the extent that mixed venous oxygen also increases, PaO2 will increase without any improvement in gas exchange. Similarly, weaning from mechanical ventilatory support is a cardiovascular stress test. Patients who fail to wean also manifest cardiovascular insufficiency during the failed weaning attempts. Improving cardiovascular reserve or supplementing support with inotropic therapy may allow patients to wean from mechanical ventilation. Second, changes in lung volume alter autonomic tone and pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR), and at high lung volumes compress the heart in the cardiac fossa. Hyperinflation increases PVR and pulmonary artery pressure, impeding right ventricular ejection. Decreases in lung volume induce alveolar collapse and hypoxia, stimulating an increased pulmonary vasomotor tone by the process of hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction. Recruitment maneuvers, positive end-expiratory pressure, and continuous positive airway pressure may reverse hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction and reduce pulmonary artery pressure. Third, spontaneous inspiration and spontaneous inspiratory efforts decrease intrathoracic pressure (ITP). Since diaphragmatic descent increases intra-abdominal pressure, these combined effects cause right atrial pressure inside the thorax to decrease but venous pressure in the abdomen to increase, markedly increasing the pressure gradient for systemic venous return. Furthermore, the greater the decrease in ITP, the greater the increase in left ventricular (LV) afterload for a constant arterial pressure. Mechanical ventilation, by abolishing the negative swings in ITP, will selectively decrease LV afterload, as long as the increases in lung volume and ITP are small. Finally, positive-pressure ventilation increases ITP. Since diaphragmatic descent increases intra-abdominal pressure, the decrease in the pressure gradient for venous return is less than would otherwise occur if the only change were an increase in right atrial pressure. However, in hypovolemic states, positive-pressure ventilation can induce profound decreases in venous return. Increases in ITP decrease LV afterload and will augment LV ejection. In patients with hypervolemic heart failure, this afterload reducing effect can result in improved LV ejection, increased cardiac output, and reduced myocardial oxygen demand.


Share

Citation/Export:
Social Networking:
Share |

Details

Item Type: Article
Status: Published
Creators/Authors:
CreatorsEmailPitt UsernameORCID
Pinsky, MRpinsky@pitt.eduPINSKY0000-0001-6166-700X
Date: 1 January 2005
Date Type: Publication
Journal or Publication Title: Chest
Volume: 128
Number: 5 SUPP
Page Range: 592S - 597S
DOI or Unique Handle: 10.1378/chest.128.5_suppl_2.592s
Schools and Programs: School of Medicine > Critical Care Medicine
Refereed: Yes
ISSN: 0012-3692
PubMed ID: 16306058
Date Deposited: 05 Apr 2012 21:54
Last Modified: 25 Mar 2023 20:55
URI: http://d-scholarship.pitt.edu/id/eprint/11584

Metrics

Monthly Views for the past 3 years

Plum Analytics

Altmetric.com


Actions (login required)

View Item View Item