Oxygen therapy reduces postoperative tachycardia

Abstract

Concomitant hypoxaemia and tachycardia in the postoperative period is unfavourable for the myocardium. Since hypoxaemia per se may be involved in the pathogenesis of postoperative tachycardia, we have studied the effect of oxygen therapy on tachycardia in 12 patients randomly allocated to blinded air or oxygen by facemask on the second or third day after major surgery. Inclusion criteria were arterial hypoxaemia (oxygen saturation < or = 92%) and increased heart rate (> 90 beat.min-1). Each patient responded similarly to oxygen therapy: an increase in arterial oxygen saturation and a decrease in heart rate (p < 0.002). Thus, postoperative supplementary oxygen has a positive effect on the cardiac oxygen delivery and demand balance.