Continuous positive-pressure ventilation does not alter ventricular pressure-volume relationship.

To determine whether alterations in the mechanical properties (i.e., stiffening) of the right and left ventricles contribute to the decrease in right and left ventricular end-diastolic volumes during continuous positive-pressure ventilation (CPPV), we studied six dogs anesthetized with chloralose urethane and ventilated with a volume ventilator. We varied ventricular volumes by withdrawing or infusing blood. Pressure-volume curves, constructed by plotting transmural ventricular end-diastolic pressures against ventricular end-diastolic volumes, did not change during CPPV (12 cmH2O positive end-expiratory pressure) compared to intermittent positive-pressure ventilation (IPPV, 0 cmH2O end-expiratory pressure). We conclude that decreased ventricular end-diastolic volumes during CPPV result primarily from a decrease in venous return. Alterations in the mechanical properties of the ventricles do not play a significant role in this response.