title: Coupling of spontaneous ventilation to heart beat during benzodiazepine sedation.
abstract: We have examined in eight male volunteers the effect of midazolam sedation on the relationship between timing of spontaneous ventilations and heart beat. On 2 study days, subjects received either midazolam 0.1 mg kg-1 or saline placebo while recordings were made of ECG and ventilatory impedance pneumography. We observed in all midazolam-treated subjects clear evidence of synchronous or non-synchronous coupling between ventilation and heart beat. Non-synchronous coupling was seen in two placebo-treated subjects, one of whom had slept during the recording period. We conclude that cardioventilatory coupling is a major determinant of ventilatory timing in sedated subjects.
authors.affiliation: Wellington School of Medicine, New Zealand.
authors.forename: D C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Galletly
authors.forename: P D
authors.initials: PD
authors.lastname: Larsen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004562:Electrocardiography / Q000187:drug effects; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D008874:Midazolam / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010507:Periodicity; D012119:Respiration / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives; D008874:Midazolam