Chapter 4 Flashcards
What are the main objectives of studying blood flow to the lung?
To understand the structure, function, distribution, and control of the blood supply of the lung
This includes comparing bronchial and pulmonary circulation, explaining physiological consequences, and understanding the effects of lung volume and pressures on pulmonary vascular resistance.
What constitutes pulmonary blood flow (PBF)?
The entire output of the right ventricle supplying the lung with mixed venous blood
This blood undergoes gas exchange with alveolar air in the pulmonary capillaries.
How much blood is typically present in the pulmonary circulation per square meter of body surface area?
250 to 300 mL
About 60 to 70 mL/m2 of this blood is located in the pulmonary capillaries.
What is the average time a red blood cell takes to travel through the pulmonary circulation at resting cardiac output?
4 to 5 seconds
Approximately 0.75 seconds of this time is spent in the pulmonary capillaries.
What is the diameter of pulmonary capillaries compared to erythrocytes?
Pulmonary capillaries average around 6 mm; erythrocytes are about 8 mm
Erythrocytes must change shape slightly to pass through the smaller pulmonary capillaries.
What is the estimated potential surface area for gas exchange in the lungs?
50 to 100 m2
This is due to approximately 280 billion pulmonary capillaries supplying about 300 million alveoli.
What do bronchial arteries supply?
Arterial blood to the tracheobronchial tree and other lung structures down to the terminal bronchioles
They also supply the hilar lymph nodes, visceral pleura, pulmonary arteries and veins, vagus, and esophagus.
What percentage of the left ventricle’s output does bronchial circulation constitute?
About 2%
Blood pressure in bronchial arteries is comparable to systemic arteries.
True or False: The venous drainage of bronchial circulation enters the pulmonary veins.
True
This results in bronchial venous blood mixing with ‘arterial’ blood in the pulmonary veins.
What is Poiseuille’s law used for in pulmonary physiology?
To estimate pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR)
It relates pressure difference, flow, and resistance in a tube.
What is the formula for calculating pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR)?
PVR = (MPAP - MLAP) / PBF
MPAP is mean pulmonary artery pressure, MLAP is mean left atrial pressure, and PBF is pulmonary blood flow.
How does the resistance to blood flow in the pulmonary circulation compare to the systemic circulation?
PVR is about one-tenth that of systemic vascular resistance (SVR)
This is due to the structural differences in the pulmonary circulation.
What is the distribution of pulmonary vascular resistance across the pulmonary vasculature?
About one-third in pulmonary arteries, one-third in capillaries, and one-third in pulmonary veins
In contrast, about 70% of resistance in systemic circulation is in systemic arteries.
What is the primary determinant of pulmonary vascular resistance?
Transmural pressure difference across vessel walls
This reflects the change in pressures due to the surrounding alveolar and intrapleural pressures.
Fill in the blank: The pulmonary artery and its branches are much ______ than corresponding parts of the systemic circulation.
thinner walled
What happens to blood pressure as you move up from the heart to the head?
Blood pressure decreases
This is due to the effect of gravity on the column of blood.
What is the significance of the high arterial pressure in the systemic circulation?
It allows for redistribution of left ventricular output and control of blood flow to different tissues
This is necessary for supplying all body tissues with blood.
What must the left ventricle maintain to overcome hydrostatic forces and pump blood to the brain?
A relatively high mean arterial pressure
Why is high arterial pressure in systemic circulation necessary?
It allows the redistribution of left ventricular output and control of blood flow to different tissues
What happens to blood vessels supplying exercising muscle during exercise?
They dilate in response to increased local metabolic demand
What is the effect of increased resistance to blood flow in other vascular beds?
It helps maintain blood pressure
In pulmonary circulation, why are redistributions of right ventricular output usually unnecessary?
All alveolar-capillary units participating in gas exchange perform the same function
What is the workload of the left ventricle compared to the right ventricle?
The workload of the left ventricle is much greater
What factors have a profound effect on pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR)?
Gravity, body position, lung volume, alveolar and intrapleural pressures, intravascular pressures, right ventricular output
What determines the vessel diameter in distensible-compressible vessels?
The transmural pressure difference
How does increased transmural pressure difference affect vessel diameter?
Increases vessel diameter and decreases resistance
What happens to the pulmonary capillaries as lung volume increases during inspiration?
They are elongated and their diameters decrease
At which lung volume is pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR) lowest?
Near the functional residual capacity (FRC)
What occurs to the resistance of extraalveolar vessels at higher lung volumes?
It decreases due to increased transmural pressure and radial traction
What is the effect of mechanical positive-pressure ventilation on PVR?
It elevates PVR throughout the respiratory cycle
What are the two mechanisms by which increased mean pulmonary artery pressure may decrease PVR?
Recruitment and distention
What is recruitment in the context of pulmonary capillaries?
The opening of previously unperfused capillaries due to increased perfusion pressure
What happens to PVR when cardiac output or pulmonary artery pressure decreases?
It can result in derecruitment of pulmonary capillaries
What effect does increased pulmonary artery pressure have on pulmonary vascular resistance?
Decreases due to recruitment and distention
What type of influences can alter pulmonary vascular smooth muscle activity?
Neural and humoral influences
Fill in the blank: Increased lung volume above FRC _______ PVR.
Increases
Fill in the blank: Positive intrapleural pressure _______ PVR.
Increases
What is the relationship between blood viscosity and PVR?
Increased blood viscosity increases resistance
True or False: The resistance of alveolar and extraalveolar vessels is additive at any lung volume.
True
What is the term for the volume of air remaining in the lungs after a normal expiration?
FRC (functional residual capacity)
FRC is essential for maintaining adequate gas exchange.
What effect does gravity have on pulmonary blood flow?
Decreases in gravity-dependent regions of the lungs
Gravity affects the hydrostatic pressure and subsequent blood flow in the lungs.
What are the hydrostatic effects that influence pulmonary blood flow?
Recruitment and distention
These effects lead to increased interstitial pressure and compression of vessels.
How does positive-pressure ventilation affect alveolar pressure?
Increases alveolar pressure
This increase can lead to compression and derecruitment of alveolar vessels.
What is the relationship between viscosity and resistance in the pulmonary circulation?
Viscosity directly increases resistance
Increased blood viscosity leads to greater resistance to blood flow.