Haemodynamic effects of periodic ventilation: Abolition with supplementary oxygen

Abstract

A 63-yr-old man was noted to breathe with a periodic pattern of ventilation during sleep, both before and after operation for coronary artery grafting, and 6 weeks later after aortic aneurysm repair. Periodic ventilation was associated with cyclic oxygen desaturations and increases in heart rate and arterial pressure. Administration of oxygen was found to abolish consistently the periodic pattern and the associated haemo-dynamic changes. © 1991 British Journal of Anaesthesia.