Studies on the Respiratory Arrhythmia of Man Its Relation to Respiratory Depth, Cardiac Rate and to the Ages of Individuals

Abstract

1. By means of “Cardiotachograph” the quantitative study on the respiratory arrhythmia of healthy men (covering ages from seven to fiftysix) was performed. The observations were carried out in rest and in three postures, viz., recumbent, sitting and standing.
2. The respiratory arrhythmia increases with the respiratory depth. The relations between these two can be represented generally as paraboloid curves, slopes of which however, being different according to the individuals.
3. The respiratory arrhythmia is definitely influenced also by the cardiac rate: the bradycardia usually enforces the arrhythmia. The relationship between the respiratory arrhythmia and the pulse interval is nearly linear, except in state of extreme slowing of the heart. The slope of the correlation line is more marked for younger than for older persons.
4. Among all age groups of subjects, the respiratory arrhythmia is most marked as well as most variable in adolescence. The same patterns for various age groups can be observed in the changes in cardiac rate due to 'the change in posture.
All these results were discussed briefly in connection to the physiological mechanism of the respiratory arrhythmia.