Control of Ventilation Flashcards
What is the equation for minute ventilation?
V(E) = f x V(T)
minute ventilation = breathing frequency x tidal volume
What is average minute ventilation and why?
5 L/min
Around 10 breaths are taken each minute (f) and each one is around 500 ml (VT)
Why doesn’t the total volume of each breath reach the lungs?
Due to the dead space which does not partake in gas exchange
How are physiological and anatomic dead space related in healthy individuals?
Anatomic and physiological dead space are roughly the same in healthy individuals
How are physiological and anatomic dead space related in diseased individuals?
The physiological dead space is greater than the anatomic dead space
Less area is available for gas exchange
What is the normal total volume for dead space?
150 ml
What is average minute ventilation at rest, taking into account the affect of dead space?
around 3.5 L/min
What 3 factors influence why breathing may need to vary?
- activity vs. at rest
- altitude
- disease
How does blood flow through the alveoli change during exercise?
Increased cardiac output means that blood flow through the alveoli increases
How does the amount of oxygen consumed vary at rest and during exercise?
During exercise, oxygen consumption can increase by more than 10 times
What is the exercise tolerance test used for?
To determine a patient’s anaerobic threshold
This will determine whether they are fit for surgery
As altitude increases, how does the amount of oxygen available change?
The amount of oxygen in the air decreases meaning the lungs need to work harder to maintain the oxygen supply
What is the result of the change in partial pressure of oxygen as altitude increases?
Partial pressure of oxygen decreases
As saturation of Hb is dependent on pO2, there is less oxygen binding to Hb
How does cardiac output change as altitude increases?
Cardiac output increases to deliver more oxygen to the tissues per minute
Why does disease lead to an altered breathing frequency?
Many disease can compromise gas exchange or delivery of oxygen
How are the activities of the cardiac and respiratory systems altered in sepsis?
Septic tissues have to work harder to produce energy
The cardiac and respiratory systems must work harder to deliver adequate oxygen to the tissues
How does sleep apnoea and opioids affect breathing?
Sleep apnoea leads to periodic cessation during sleep
Opioids lead to depression of breathing
How is chronic hypercapnia related to hypoxic drive?
Chronic hypercapnia is where patients require oxygen sensing
They have become dependent on oxygen concentrations to drive respiratory functions - this is hypoxic drive
How are chemoreceptors involved in developing hypoxic drive?
Chemoreceptors become tolerant to high levels of CO2
High levels of CO2 are no longer the patient’s drive to breathe
The hypoxic drive now drives the patient to breathe
What component of hypoxic drive actually drives someone to breathe?
Low levels of oxygen in the blood
How is hypercapnia defined?
A blood gas CO2 level over 45 mmHg
What condition can result from hypercapnia?
Elevated blood gas CO2 levels drive serum pH down
This leads to respiratory acidosis
What are the sensors, input and output in the control of ventilation pathway?
- Sensors in the periphery, brain and muscles/joints
- Sensors provide an input to the respiratory centre in the medulla
- The respiratory centre sends an output to thoracic and abdominal muscles involved in control of ventilation
Where is the respiratory centre and what does it detect?
Medulla oblongata
It detects the levels of O2 and CO2 in the blood
Where does the respiratory centre send signals to?
Muscles in the heart, lungs and diaphragm
This signals to increase or decrease ventilation
How is the pons involved in ventilation control?
The pons processes inputs that affect respiratory control on a metabolic level
It controls the respiratory rate depending on the body’s needs as it influences the speed of inspiration or expiration
How are the higher sensors in the brain involved in control of ventilation?
They process inputs that affect respiratory control on an emotional level, or due to voluntary effect
What are the three major nuclei that make up the respiratory centre and where are they found?
Ventral respiratory group and Dorsal respiratory group in the medulla
Pontine respiratory group in the pons
What are the 2 areas of the pontine respiratory group?
The pneumotaxic centre and the apneustic centre
What is the role of the dorsal respiratory group (DRG)?
What does it control?
It is responsible for core control of ventilation and initiates inspiration
It controls muscle contraction of inspiratory muscles
Under what circumstances would it be possible to survive with only the DRG?
If only passive expiration was used
When is the expiratory drive required?
Why?
It is only required when exercising
This is because elastic recoil of the lungs during expiration is a passive process
What kind of neurones are found in the DRG?
Neurones which fire during inspiration ONLY
What kind of neurones are found in the ventral respiratory group (VRG)?
Mixed neurones
Some will fire during inspiration and some will fire during expiration
What kind of control on ventilation does the VRG have?
It has some inspiratory and some expiratory control
At rest, what nucleus is in control of respiration? Why?
DRG as there is no expiratory nerve activity