Influence of active and passive ventilation on heart rate variability in healthy subjects

Power spectral analysis of heart rare variability (HRV) of 12 healthy volunteers was assessed during ventilation and in rate controlled (active) breathing at three different breathing frequencies (8/min, 12/min and 18/min). It can be shown that passive lung inflation entails a considerable reduction of total HRV and respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA) in comparison to active breathing. Depending on breathing frequency, (BF), HRV is reduced by 78% (BF 8/min), by 51% (BF 12/min) and by 48% (BF 18/min) during mechanical ventilation. The influence of ventilation should be considered when HRV is investigated in ventilated patients under general anesthesia as well as in ventilated patients with impaired cardiac function in the ICU