A mathematical pulmonary model for heart-lung interactions during mechanical ventilation.

Summary

The authors extend a respiratory model with cardiovascular components, adding pleural pressure and ARDS-specific shunt–blood pressure dependency, to reproduce key heart–lung interactions under mechanical ventilation. Simulations match literature/clinical data for heart rate–stroke volume, PEEP–cardiac index relationships, and pulmonary hypertension effects.

Key Findings

• Integrated pleural pressure into thoracic compartments and introduced ARDS-specific shunt–blood pressure dependency.
• Reproduced heart rate–stroke volume and PEEP–cardiac index relationships, and effects of pulmonary hypertension.
• Simulations agreed with literature and clinical comparator data, capturing major ventilation-induced hemodynamic effects.

Clinical Implications

Model-informed strategies could help titrate PEEP to balance oxygenation with hemodynamics, pending prospective validation and patient-specific parameterization.

Limitations

• Assumptions and parameter choices may limit generalizability; lacks prospective patient-specific validation
• Conference report without clear code/data availability statements

Future Directions

Release code and parameter sets, calibrate with bedside waveforms, and conduct prospective model-informed ventilation studies focusing on PEEP titration and hemodynamic safety.