Introduction to blood-gas transport notes Flashcards
1. Distinguish between the following terms: minute, alveolar, and dead space ventilation; and anatomic, alveolar and physiologic dead space 2. Specify the partial pressures of O2 and CO2 in the alveoli, mixed venous and arterial blood in normal individuals 3. Using the alveolar ventilation equation, discuss the factors that determine the partial pressure of CO2 in the alveoli and define the terms hyperventilation and hypventilaton 4. Name the factors that affect diffusive transport of a gas f
Dissolution of gases
-when gases are exposed to a liquid (such as blood gas) gas molecules diffuse into the liquid and exist in a dissolved state
Partial pressure of dissolved gas
- dissolved gases also exert a partial pressure
- a gas will continue to dissolve in the liquid until the patial pressure of the dissolved gas= the partial pressure above the liquid
Two forms in which oxygen is transported in the blood
1) Physically dissolved in the plasma (2%) -relatively insoluble in plasma (vs. CO2)
2) Chemically bound to the hemoglobin molecule (Hb) in the red blood cells (98%)
Calculating the amount of physical dissolved oygen
Dissolved O2 (100 ml of blood) = PaO2 (mmHg) x 0.003 Where 0.003 is a constant - for each mmHg of PO2 there is 0.003 ml of O2 per 100ml of blood
Hemoglobin role in oxygen transport
-hemoglobin can combine rapidly and reversibly with O2 to form oxyhemoglobin
What determines the amount of oxygen that hemoglobin can carry
- amount of oxyhemoglobin = a function of partial pressure of oxygen in the blood
- when PaO2 levels are high the reaction shifts to the right to form oxyhemoglobin
How oxygen is released to the tissues
- reaction with hemoglobin is reversible
- i.e. deoxyhemoglobin + O2 oxyhemoglobin
Oxygen carrying capacity- definition
-the maximum amount of O2 that can be carried by hemoglobin
How much O2 can combine with a gram of hemoglobin
-each gram of hemoglobin can combine with 1.34 ml of O2
Normal concentration of hemoglobin in the blood
15 g Hb/100ml of blood (or 150 g/L)
The oxygen carrying capacity of a healthy young adult
20 ml O2 /100 ml of blood (calculate by 15 x1.34)
Oxygen content- definition
- the total amount of O2 in the blood
- incudes O2 bound to hemoglobin and O2 dissolved in blood
Calculating the oxygen content
-generally measured directly but can also be calculated by this equation
CaO2 (ml O2/100 ml blood) = [Hb x1.34 x SaO2] + [PaO2 x 0.003]
Percent saturation
-the proportion of hemoglobin that is bound to O2
-SO2
-a ratio of the quantity of O2 that is bound to hemoglobin to the quantity that can potentially be bound to hemoglobin
SO2 = oxygen combined with Hb/ Oxygen carrying capacity of Hb x100
SaO2
Arterial blood saturation of hemoglobin
Normally 98% at PaO2 = 100 mmHg
SvO2
Saturation of hemoglobin in mixed venous blood
Normally 75% at PaO2 = 40 mmHg
Oxyhemoglobin dissociation curve - what does it show
Relates the oxygen saturation (SO2), the partial pressure of oxygen in the blood (PaO2) and blood oxygen content
S shape of oxyhemoglobin dissociation curve -what does it mean
- increasing affinity of hemoglobin for oxygen as blood PO2 increases
- because as PaO2 is high the reaction shifts to the right to form oxyhemoglobin
Two regions of the S curve
- plateau region
- steep region
Plateau region-what is happening
- represents loading of oxygen in the lungs
- when venous blood returns to lungs has a PO2 of 40 mmHg and hemoglobin is 75% sat with O2
- as blood passes through alveoli it is exposed to PO2 of 100 mmHg in alveoli
- O2 diffuses from alveoli into plasma and hemoglobin becomes 97-100% saturated with O2
Plateau region - why curve is flat
-at partial pressure at or above 60 mmHg flt curve with O2 sats at 90% or higher
-hemoglobin nearly saturated with O2 and even when alveolar PO2 decreases to as low as 60 mmHg (and therefore arterial PO2 decreasing as well) the O2 remains bound to hemoglobin
= safety margin –> ensures O2 content of blood remain high and that tissues receive adequate amounts O2
Steep region - what is happening
- PO2 of tissues typically 40 mmHg
- at this PO2 O2 is released from hemoglobin and enters the tissues
- dissociation curve steep between 20-40 mmHg
- in this steep range a small decrease in PO2 in the tissues will result in the unloading of O2 to the tissues
Consequence of left and right shifts on hemoglobin affinity for O2
- changes of affinity of hemoglobin for O2
a) left shift = increase hemoglobin affinity for O2
b) shift right = decrease hemoglobin affinity for O2
Factors that cause right shift
1) Increase in temperature
2) Increase in PCO2
3) Decrease in pH
4) Increase 2,3, DPG (DPG = 2,3 diphosphoglycerate)