What the anaesthesiologist needs to know about heart-lung interactions

Publication date: Available online 7 May 2019Source: Best Practice & Research Clinical AnaesthesiologyAuthor(s): Simon T. Vistisen, Johannes N. Enevoldsen, Jacob Greisen, Peter Juhl-OlsenAbstractThe impact of positive pressure ventilation extends the effect on lungs and gas exchange, because the altered intrathoracic pressure conditions influence determinants of cardiovascular function. These mechanisms are called heart-lung interactions, which conceptually can be divided into two components (1) The positive airway pressure’s effect on the cardiovascular system, which may be more or less pronounced under various pathologic cardiac conditions and (2) The cyclic airway pressure swing’s effect on the cardiovascular system, which can be useful in the interpretation of the individual patient’s current haemodynamic state. It is imperative for the anaesthesiologist to understand the fundamental mechanisms of heart-lung interactions, as they are a foundation for the understanding of optimal, personalised cardiovascular treatment of patients undergoing surgery in general anaesthesia. The aim of this review is thus to describe what the anaesthesiologist needs to know about heart-lung interactions.
Source: Best Practice and Research Clinical Anaesthesiology - Category: Anesthesiology Source Type: research