Cheyne-Stokes respiration: Stability of interacting systems in heart failure

Nonlinear dynamics of physiological function and control

Complex rhythms are observed in the physiological systems that control and carry out vital bodily functions. Theoretical approaches to analyze the physiological systems include control theory and computation theory. Complementary to these approaches is nonlinear dynamics, which offers ways to classify both normal and abnormal dynamics, and to analyze bifurcations occurring in physiological dynamics.

Dynamics of heart rate

Heart rate oscillates on several different time scales and has long-term variability in the form of 1/f noise. The physiological control of heart rate is briefly reviewed, and several typical patterns of heart rate variability, in health and sickness, are described. Considered briefly are some possible dynamical mechanisms for heart rate variability.