Biomedical Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
Figure 6
. Interbeat interval (RR interval) time series over 200 seconds in 5 piglets as they
mature from 8 to 33 days of life. Note the increasing amplitude (standard deviation) and irregu-
larity (approximate entropy, ApEn) of the interbeat intervals with advancing postnatal age.
Reprinted with permission from (17).
administration and thereby enhance physiologic effects. For example, insulin
given in oscillatory fashion has a greater effect on glucose metabolism than
when given continuously (22). Similarly, when parathyroid hormone is give
intermittently rather than continuously, it increases bone mass in osteoporotic
patients (23). Finally, external dynamic control techniques such as pacing pro-
cedures to terminate cardiac arrhythmias have proven useful in cardiac pa-
tients (24).
