Recent advances in the clinical application of heart-lung interactions.

Clinical applications of heart-lung interactions have centered on the impact of ventilation on regional blood flow and the measures of cardiovascular responsiveness to both positive end-expiratory pressure and fluid resuscitation. These new and exciting applications of established physiology provide new therapeutic options for the caregiver with reduced risk for complications in the patient. This review illustrates several of these studies within the context of known cardiopulmonary physiology.