Blood Flow, Gas Exchange and Transport Flashcards
What are the bronchial arteries?
Arteries, arising from the systemic circulation, supplying oxygenated blood to airway smooth muscle, nerves and lung tissue
Define Dalton’s Law
Total pressure of gas mixture = sum of pressure of individual gases
Define Boyle’s Law
Increase volume = decrease pressure
What is the pulmonary system in terms of flow and pressure?
High flow, low pressure system
High flow as all the blood in the body must pass through the lungs at the same rate as it travels round the systemic system
Low pressure due to reduce resistance to flow
What is the partial pressure of oxygen in the alveoli and arterial system?
100 mmHg
13.3 kPa
What is the partial pressure of oxygen in the tissue cells and venous system?
40 mmHg
5.3kPa
What is the partial pressure of carbon dioxide in the alveoli and the arterial system?
40 mmHg
5.3 kPa
What is the partial pressure of carbon dioxide in the tissue cells and the venous system?
46 mmHg
6.2 kPa
What are 5 factors that affect the rate of diffusion?
Proportional to:
Partial pressure of gas
Solubility of gas
Available surface area
Inversely proportional to thickness of membrane - most rapid over short distances
Function of Type on pneumocytes?
Specialised for diffusion - provide large surface area and have a thin membrane
How is efficiency of gas exchange maximised?
Capillaries are always adjacent to type I alveolar cells
and not beside type II
Elastic fibres are not found between capillaries and alveolar walls
Alveoli have a large surface area
Alveoli have thin membranes
How does emphysema affect gas exchange?
Destruction of alveoli tissue reduces surfaces area for gas exchange
How does fibrotic lung disease affect gas exchange?
Thickened alveoli membranes show gas exchange
Loss of lung compliance decrease alveolar ventilation
How does pulmonary oedema affect gas exchange?
Fluid in the interstitial space increased diffusion distance - however, arterial PCO2 is normal due to high solubility of CO2 in water
How does asthma affect gas exchange?
Increased airway resistance decreases airway ventilation
What is the ideal V/Q relationship and is it possible across the whole lung?
Ventilation = perfusion
At the base, blood flow is high as arterial pressure > alveolar pressure and vascular resistance decreased (Q > V)
At the apex, blood flow is flow as arterial pressure < alveolar pressure, which compresses the arterioles and increases vascular resistance (V > Q)
State the V/Q ratios
V/Q = 1 : perfectly matched
V/Q > 1 : mismatch 1 (less perfusion)
V/Q < 1 : mismatch 2 (less ventilation)
Where does the majority of V/G mismatch occur?
At the apex
What is a shunt?
When perfusion of alveoli normal, but ventilation of alveoli fails so blood passing it is deoxygenated - V/Q < 1
What are two mechanism when V < Q?
Decrease PO2 and underventilated alveoli constrict their arterioles, diverting blood to better ventilated alveoli
Increase PCO2 causes mild bronchodilation
(Constriction of arterioles due to hypoxia is specific to pulmonary vessel, systemic vessels dilate)
Autoregulation when V > Q?
Creates alveolar dead space
Increase alveolar PO2 -> pul. vasodilation
Decreased alveolar PCO2 -> bronchial constriction
What is alveolar dead space?
Alveoli that are V but not Q