Acta Physiol Hung
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1. Although the increased heart rate variability in healthy subjects in association with slow patterned breathing and continuous positive airway pressure is well documented, there is no general agreement regarding the underlying mechanism. The arterial baroreceptor stimulation due to greater blood pressure variability, the stimulation of pulmonary stretch and low pressure baroreceptors can play important role in this phenomenon. 2. ⋯ The baroreflex sensitivity as calculated from spontaneous HR and BP sequences was 11.66 +/- 2.9 at baseline and increased to 17.66 +/- 6.1 and changed to 15.22 +/- 3.2 with the addition of patterned breathing and CPAP, respectively. 4. Our findings indicate that the heart rate and blood pressure responses to slow patterned breathing may be interpreted as consequences of an altered baroreflex sensitivity. In contrast the active breathing with CPAP exerts mechanical effects which in turn present an augmented systemic baroreflex trigger, however, the baroreflex sensitivity remains unchanged.