Venous pressure and dyspnea on exertion in cardiac failure: Was Tinsley Randolph Harrison right?

Philippe Haouzi

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

6 Scopus citations

Abstract

More than 70 years ago, Harrison and his group proposed that in the absence of pulmonary edema, an increased systemic venous pressure could be a major source of dyspnea upon exertion in cardiac patients. Harrison provided evidence that in resting animals systemic venous pressure can affect ventilatory control through afferent information originating from the right side of the central circulation (i.e. right ventricle and large veins) via the vagus nerves. This review explores the concept that "increased venous pressure acts as a cause of dyspnea", which emerged from the remarkable work performed by Harrison and co-workers. Their conclusion will be however extended by developing the hypothesis that the load imposed on the venous blood returning from the skeletal muscles during any muscular activity is sensed by slow conducting muscle afferent fibers and provides a source of dyspnea in heart failure patients.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)101-106
Number of pages6
JournalRespiratory Physiology and Neurobiology
Volume167
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - May 30 2009

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • General Neuroscience
  • Physiology
  • Pulmonary and Respiratory Medicine

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Venous pressure and dyspnea on exertion in cardiac failure: Was Tinsley Randolph Harrison right?'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this