Influence of abnormal breathing conditions on right ventricular function

Clinical data collected in our intensive care unit during respiratory therapy of patients with acute respiratory faillure of various causes, confirm and illustrate some previously well-known concepts concerning the influence of breathing conditions on right ventricular performance. Venous return was found to be highly sensitive to the level of pleural pressure. On the other hand, right ventricular output impedance appears to largely depend on the degree of lung distension. Moreover, in the light of our data, a somewhat new concept might be individualized according to which the antagonistic actions of the thoracic and right ventricular pumps could severely compete in that original clinical setting represented by acute asthma.