Influence of airway pressure waveform on cardiac output during positive pressure ventilation of healthy newborn dogs

During positive pressure ventilation, increases in mean airway pressure produced by increases in end expiratory pressure are associated with reductions in cardiac output. Mean airway pressure may be increased not only by increasing end expiratory pressure, but also by increasing the inspiratory pressure or the inspiratory to expiratory time ratio. During positive pressure ventilation of 10 healthy newborn dogs, cardiac output and left ventricular dimensions were measured using radioactive microspheres and echocardiography, respectively. Baseline ventilation was produced using the least inspiratory pressure to maintain normocarbia (rate = 50 min −1, inspiratory to expiratory time ratio = 1=3, end expiratory pressure = 2 cm H 2 O). The mean airway pressure was increased 3-fold by independently changing the airway pressure waveform through increases in inspiratory pressure, inspiratory to expiratory time ratio, or end expiratory pressure. Despite differences in airway pressure waveform, similar reductions in left ventricular dimension, cardiac output, and stroke volume were seen. We conclude that at a given increased mean airway pressure during positive pressure ventilation, the reduction in cardiac output is independent of the airway pressure waveform.