Analysis of heart rate variability: a useful tool to evaluate autonomic tone in the anesthetized patient?

Evaluation of Autonomic Reserves in Cardiac Surgery Patients

“…[1][2][3]9,16 However, the ANS also can be evaluated via measures of autonomic reserves by assessing a patient's response to an autonomic challenge, such as the Valsalva maneuver, 17,18 a tilt table, 19 or a neuraxial block. 20, 21 In fact, clinicians could speculate that the ability to respond to an autonomic challenge may better reflect the capacity of patients to sustain anesthesia and surgery than baseline autonomic values. 22 Because of the frequent association between cardiovascular disease and autonomic dysfunction, most patients scheduled for cardiac surgery should have some degree of autonomic dysfunction.…”

Mining the hidden dysrhythmia ‐ can machines get smarter at defining the anaesthetised state?

“…The fingerprints measured in this study included much more information than we could usually glean from standard monitors; that is, the extents of variability and synchronisation of the heart and respiratory rates. The cardiac rhythm has been known to show decreased variability during anaesthesia , as well as in cardiac disease and other critical illness . The authors found decreased variability in heart and respiratory rates, and skin conductivity changes during general anaesthesia compared with those during wakefulness.…”

The World Health Organization safe surgery checklist as a catalyst for system improvement

“…The fingerprints measured in this study included much more information than we could usually glean from standard monitors; that is, the extents of variability and synchronisation of the heart and respiratory rates. The cardiac rhythm has been known to show decreased variability during anaesthesia [8], as well as in cardiac disease and other critical illness [9]. The authors found decreased variability in heart and respiratory rates, and skin conductivity changes during general anaesthesia compared with those during wakefulness.…”