14 - Special Circulations Flashcards
What are the blood supplies to the lungs?
- Bronchial: part of systemic circulation that meets the metabolic requirements of the lungs
- Pulmonary: blood supply to alveoli for gas exchange
What are the pressures in each part of the heart?
What are the features of the pulmonary circulation?
- Low pressure: MAP 12-15, MCP 9-12, MVP 5
- Low resistance: short wide vessels, lots of capillaries, little smooth muscle in arterioles
How are the lungs adapted for efficient gas exchange?
- High capillary density in alveoli so high SA
- Short diffusion distance
What is the venitlation/perfusion ratio?
- For effective oxygenation need to match ventilation of alveoli with perfusion
- Optimal V/Q = 0.8
- Ventilation/perfusion mismatch if unbalanced
How does the pulmonary system ensure optimal ventilation/perfusion ratio when ventilation falls?
- Hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction when alveolus hypoxia
- Poorly ventilated alveoli are less perfused to maintain optimal elsewhere
What happens during chronic pulmonary vasoconstriction and when can this condition occur?
- Right ventricular failure
- Increase in vascular tone so increase in vascular resistance leading to chronic pulmonary hypertension
- RV hypertrophy as increased afterload, leaded to RV faiure
- Occur at altitude or due to lung disease, e.g emphysema
What is the appearance of the capillaries in each part of the lung at rest?
How do the pulmonary vessels match the increased oxygen demand during exercise?
- Increased CO and increased pulmonary arterial pressure
- Opens apical capillaries so increased O2 uptake
- Blood flow increase so capillary transit time reduced from 1s to 0.3s without compromising gas exchange
What influences hydrostatic pressure in capillaries?
- Mainly venous pressure, especially in systemic circulation
- Therefore, if venous pressure increases so will hydrostatic in the capillary
What is the rate of formation of tissue fluid in the lungs?
- Hydrostatic pressure in capillaries is low
- Small amount of tissue fluid
How can oedema occur?
- Increase in capillary hydrostatic pressure, due to increased venouse pressure
How do the lungs prevent pulmonary oedema, and what conditions is pulmonary oedema likely?
- Pulmonary capillary pressure normally low (9-12) but can get oedema if left atrium rises to 20-25
- Mitral valve stenosis
- Left ventricular failure
Where in the lungs does pulmonary oedema normally occur and how do you treat it?
- Normally at base when upright, all over when lying down due to changes in hydrostatic pressure in gravity
- Use diuretics
- Treat underlying condition
How much of the O2 demand from the body does the brain hold?
- Recieves 15% CO and grey matter O2 consumption accounts for 20% of total body consumption at rest