Concepts developed for the synchronization analysis of noisy coupled nonlin
ear oscillators are used to study the spatial synchronization of oscillatio
ns in the blood distribution system. We reveal that the cardiac and respira
tory oscillations observed at different sites of the system are strongly ph
ase and frequency synchronized, while the spatial synchronization of oscill
ations that originate locally is weaker. The results obtained support the h
ypothesis that the entire cardiovascular system is characterised by the sam
e dynamics.