Circadian Rhythms in Anesthesia and Critical Care Medicine

Brainard, Jason; Gobel, Merit; Bartels, Karsten; Scott, Benjamin; Köppen, Michael and Eckle, Tobias (2015): Circadian Rhythms in Anesthesia and Critical Care Medicine. Potential Importance of Circadian Disruptions. In: Seminars in Cardiothoracic and Vascular Anesthesia, Vol. 19, No. 1: pp. 49-60

Abstract

The rotation of the earth and associated alternating cycles of light and dark—the basis of our circadian rhythms—are fundamental to human biology and culture. However, it was not until 1971 that researchers first began to describe the molecular mechanisms for the circadian system. During the past few years, groundbreaking research has revealed a multitude of circadian genes affecting a variety of clinical diseases, including diabetes, obesity, sepsis, cardiac ischemia, and sudden cardiac death. Anesthesiologists, in the operating room and intensive care units, manage these diseases on a daily basis as they significantly affect patient outcomes. Intriguingly, sedatives, anesthetics, and the intensive care unit environment have all been shown to disrupt the circadian system in patients. In the current review, we will discuss how newly acquired knowledge of circadian rhythms could lead to changes in clinical practice and new therapeutic concepts.

• Item Type: Journal article
• Faculties: Medicine
• Subjects: 600 Technology > 610 Medicine and health
• Alliance/National Licence: This publication is with permission of the rights owner freely accessible due to an Alliance licence and a national licence (funded by the DFG, German Research Foundation) respectively.
• Annotation: Article first published online: October 7, 2014
• Language: English