Cardioventilatory coupling during anaesthesia

In 20 spontaneously breathing patients undergoing minor surgical procedures under general anaesthesia, we examined the timing relationship of heart beat and ventilation. Patients received propofol 2-2.5 mg kg(-1) and fentanyl 1 mu g kg(-1) and breathed a mixture of 1-1.5% isoflurane and 66% nitrous oxide in oxygen. We recorded ECG R wave times and the start of each inspiration. We observed that: (1) all subjects showed evidence of phase coupling in which heart beats occurred at constant phases of the ventilatory cycle; (2) there was a significant preference for whole number ratios of heart rate to ventilatory frequency; (3) phase coupling was associated frequently with quantal changes in heart rate or ventilatory frequency, or both; (4) six coupling patterns were described according to the timing relationship between the ECG R wave and start of inspiration and according to changes in the number of heart beats within each ventilatory period; (5) phase coupling was achieved primarily by transient changes in ventilatory period. Phase coupling, in concert with respiratory sinus arrhythmia, may optimize the performance of the thoracic pump, matching cardiac filling to venous return. Coupling may therefore have anaesthetic relevance in conditions of impaired cardiac performance or hypovolaemia.