Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 11, 2026

Increasing Pulmonary Artery Pulsatile Flow Improves Hypoxic Pulmonary Hypertension in Piglets
Published on: May 11, 2015
Pulsus paradoxus in ventilated and non-ventilated patients
1Clinical Neuroscience Unit, Foothills Medical Centre, Calgary, Alberta. 1wong@telus.net
Pulsus paradoxus, a drop in systolic blood pressure during inspiration, presents differently in mechanically ventilated patients. This study explains its reversed pattern in mechanical ventilation and its clinical implications.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Physiology
- Respiratory Medicine
- Critical Care Medicine
Background:
- Physiological changes in disease states can be exacerbated during mechanical ventilation.
- Normally, systolic blood pressure decreases during inspiration due to intrathoracic pressure changes.
Observation:
- Pulsus paradoxus is defined as a systolic blood pressure difference exceeding 10 mmHg between inspiration and expiration.
- Mechanical ventilation reverses the typical pulsus paradoxus pattern, causing higher systolic blood pressure during inspiration.
Findings:
- Airway pressure and respiratory impedance tracings can identify respiratory phases for blood pressure determination.
- The study details the distinct presentation of pulsus paradoxus in spontaneous breathing versus mechanical ventilation.
Implications:
- Understanding the altered pulsus paradoxus in mechanical ventilation is crucial for accurate diagnosis and management.
- A case study illustrates the presentation and treatment of pulsus paradoxus in a mechanically ventilated patient, highlighting clinical relevance.
More Related Videos
06:22Surfactant Depletion Combined with Injurious Ventilation Results in a Reproducible Model of the Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS)
Published on: April 7, 2021
09:31Normothermic Negative Pressure Ventilation Ex Situ Lung Perfusion: Evaluation of Lung Function and Metabolism
Published on: February 14, 2022
Related Concept Videos
Measurement of Blood Pressure
Pneumothorax II: Pathophysiology
Ventilatory Modes
There are three ventilatory modes: full support, partial support, and spontaneous. These are described below.
Full Support Modes
Full support modes include controlled mechanical ventilation, continuous mandatory...
Pulmonary Cycle: Exhalation
Mechanical Ventilation I: Indication and Settings
Mechanical Ventilation II: Invasive Ventilation
Negative-Pressure Ventilators
Negative-pressure ventilators create a vacuum around the chest or body to draw air into the lungs, simulating breathing. This method does not require an...