Heart rate variability in spontaneously breathing and mechanically ventilated patients

The authors present the results of an initial study of heart-rate variability (HRV) in patients receiving intensive care with acute intracranial disorders. They develop and assess an all-software approach to analyzing the HRV from both gated and raw electrocardiographic data. The pitfalls inherent in HRV analysis of ventilated patients are discussed. The results of the study suggest that respiratory sinus arrhythmia may occur via peripheral pathways in apnoeic ventilated patients.<
>