Longmuir Flashcards
What are the 6 primary symbols?
P = pressure (units: mmHg (most common), cmH2O (which is a smaller pressure unit))
o 760 mmHg = 1 standard atmosphere
V = volume (units: L, mL)
T = temperature (units: *C, K)
o 0C = 273 K
A dot above adds time dimension (in these notes “X*”)
V* = flow or volume of gas/unit time (units: L/sec, mL/min)
F = fractional concentration of a gas in a gas mixture (no units, ranges 0-1)
o Refers to DRY GAS ONLY (no water vapor, it must be first subtracted out)
What is P?
pressure (units: mmHg (most common), cmH2O (which is a smaller pressure unit))
o 760 mmHg = 1 standard atmosphere
What units volume?
L, mL
What units for temperature?
C, K
What is Vdot measured in?
L/sec mL/min
What is F? Refers to what type of gas?
fractional concentration of a gas in a gas mixture (no units, ranges 0-1)
Refers to DRY GAS ONLY (no water vapor, it must be first subtracted out)
What are the 4 secondary symbols?
I = inspired gas that has been saturated with water vapor & warmed to 37*C
o Aka “tracheal air”
o Contains O2, N2 & H2O vapor
A = alveolar gas that has been saturated with water, warmed to 37*C & contains CO2
o Contains O2, N2, H2O vapor & CO2
B = barometric or barometric pressure
E = exhaled gas (usually contains CO2)
Primary symbols denote?
a Physical quantity
Secondary symbols denote?
Location
Tertiary symbols denote?
a particular type of gas such as O2, N2, H2O, CO2, Ne, CO, etc.
P_IO2 means?
Partial pressure of O2 in the airways (inspired, saturated, and warmed to 37)
What is the fractional concentration of O2 and N2 in the atmosphere?
FO2=0.21
FN2=0.79
What is I? Properties? What does it contain?
inspired gas that has been saturated with water vapor & warmed to 37*C
o Aka “tracheal air”
o Contains O2, N2 & H2O vapor
What is A? Properties? What does it contain?
alveolar gas that has been saturated with water, warmed to 37*C & contains CO2
o Contains O2, N2, H2O vapor & CO2
What is B?
Barometric pressure
What is E?
Exhaled gas (usually contains CO2)
What is FCO2?
0.0004 (usually ignored)
What is Pb?
760 mmHg
Descrbie Dalton’s law
Total Pressure = Sum of Partial Pressures = Barometric (usually)
Describe Dalton’s Law for Pressure. For Volume?
Pz=Ptot x Fz
Vz=Vtot x Fz
Describe the process of saturating gas with water vapor in the airways
As air enters the airways, it becomes saturated with H2O vapor that exerts its own partial pressure
(vapor pressure) that’s dependent on the temperature of the air & independent of the total
barometric pressures; thus, the total pressure remains the same (760 mmHg)
At body temperature, what is the saturating vapor pressure of water?
P_IH2O 47 mmHg (at 37 C)
Where does gas exchange occur?
The alveoli
What is the respiratory exchange ratio?
R=CO2 production / O2 Consumption
Describe R for different fuels burned
R=1 for glucose, R<1 when fat is burned too
What is P_ACO2?
The partial pressure of CO2 in the aveoli
Very tightly regulated to 40 mmHg
Describe ideal gases in the human lung? Exceptions?
At room temperature & 1 atmospheric pressure, most gases that we’re concerned about behave as
ideal gases; we can use the ideal gas law & it’s derivatives to understand the human lung
Note: water doesn’t behave like an ideal gas; as you condense it, the water vapor pressure
remains the same because some is condensed
What is BTPS? What is reported in BTPS?
body temperature & pressure, saturated
(all lung volumes are reported as BTPS)
P = barometric, T = 37*C, saturated with H2O
What is ATPS?
The volume of gas at ambient temperature and pressure, and which is saturated with water vapor.
What is STPD?
The volume of a gas at standard temperature and pressure, dry.
T = 0 °C; P = 760 mm Hg; PH2O = 0 mm Hg
What is Tidal Volume?
the volume of gas inspired or exhaled
during normal, quiet breathing
What is Vital capacity?
the maximal volume that can be exhaled after maximal inspiration
o By far the most clinically important
What is functional residual capacity?
the volume of gas in the lungs at the resting expiratory level (when no muscles are engaged)
What is residual volume?
Volume of gas in the lungs at the end of maximal expiration
What is total lung capacity?
The volume of gas in the lungs at the end of maximal inspiration
What can be measured using spirometry?
Tidal Volume
Vital Capacity
What needs to be measured using other techniques? What can be derived from that?
FRC (like nitrogen washout)
Then can calculate RV and TLC
Describe the nitrogen washout test
Test is started when the lungs are at FRC (resting expiratory level, just ask patient to relax)
Have the patient breath in O2 while hooked up to a machine; O2 will flush out the N2 into the
collection bag such that only O2 & CO2 remain in the lungs
The volume of gas in the bag & fractional concentration of N2 is measured to determine the Vol of N2 at FRC & then FRC is calculated
Since Vol N2 = FRC x 0.8, FRC = Vol of N2 @ FRC/0.8
How do we calculate RV, TLC, and FRC from vital capacity? (Approximately)
RV = 0.25 VC TLC = 1.25 VC FRC = 0.5 TLC
What is forced vital capacity?
The volume of air exhaled during forced expiration
What is FVC - 0.5?
The volume of air exhaled during forced expiration in the first 0.5 seconds
What is FVC - 1.0?
The volume of air exhaled during forced expiration in the first 1 seconds
What is Forced Expiratory Flow (FEF_25-75)?
The average rate of gas flow measured between 25% and 75% of forced vital capacity
Describe lung function with height and age?
Lung function is positively correlated with height & negatively correlated with age
(downhill after age 20)
Describe how to use a nomogram for normal values of forced expiration
Use a ruler to draw a line across the age & height of a person to read off the various
predicted lung functions
There is a wide range of normal values (to include 95% of the population, one needs to include 2 standard deviations; thus a person would have to lose 1/3 of his/her lung function before being considered abnormal)
Describe normal FVC, FEV1.0/FVC, and TLC
o FVC 70% of predicted value (using nomogram)
o FEV1.0/FVC 75% (means that a person should be able to expel most of their air in less than 1 sec)
o TLC 70% of the predicted value (obtained by multiplying predicted FVC by 1.25)
What is obstructive ventilatory defect?
decreased rate of flow out of the lungs due to narrowed/blocked airways
What is the pattern for obstructive ventilatory defect?
A. FVC reduced < 70% of predicted value
(some exceptions in emphysema)
B. FEV1.0 / FVC < 75% (always)
C. TLC normal or above normal
D. FRC normal or above normal
What causes obstructive ventilatory defects?
asthma, chronic bronchitis, emphysema & COPD
What is restrictive ventilatory defect?
decrease in total volume of air the lungs can hold, often due to decreased elasticity or a problem related to the expansion of the chest wall during inhalation
What is the pattern for restrictive ventilatory defect?
A. FVC reduced < 70% of predicted value
B. FEV1.0 / FVC >= 75%
C. TLC reduced
D. FRC reduced
What are the causes of restrictive ventilatory defect?
Causes: fibrosis, chest wall deformities, pneumothorax, pleural fluid & neuromuscular impairment (notice that usually nothing’s wrong with the lungs, it’s the surrounding that’s abnormal)
For flow-volume loops, what are the axes?
X axis = volume
Y axis = flow rate
Flow volume loop for an asthmatic would show?
no problem breathing
in but exhaling is troublesome
(look at V*50)
What is anatomical dead space? How is it estimated?
Anatomical dead space = the volume of the conducting airways (i.e. trachea)
o Almost never changes in pulmonary disease
o Rule of thumb: body weight (lb) approximately equals to anatomical dead space volume (ml)
What is apparatus dead space?
the dead space created by adding a breathing device & thus tidal volume needs to be adjusted accordingly
What is physiological dead space?
the volume of the conducting airways + non-functioning alveolar regions (ventilated with air but not perfused with blood)
What is physiological dead space usually measured as?
VD/VT (ratio of dead space to tidal volume)
Physiological dead space effect on partial pressure of CO2?
Doesn’t evolve CO2; hence, the partial pressure of CO2 in the exhaled gases is lower than the partial pressure of CO2 in the alveoli
What is normal physiological dead space? Diseased?
VD/VT = 0.25 is normal; VD/VT = 0.5 is diseased; VD/VT = 0.75 is very diseased but survivable
What is the Bohr equation?
VD/VT = (PACO2 – PECO2)/PACO2
What does the Bohr equation state?
States that physiological dead space is tidal volume multiplied by a fraction that represents
the dilution of alveolar PCO2 by dead-space air, which doesn’t participate in gas exchange &
therefore doesn’t contribute CO3 to expired air
How do we use Bohr equation to get physiological dead space?
Exhaled gas is used to obtain PECO2
Arterial blood sample (PaCO2) is used to obtain PACO2
What is f?
Respiratory frequency (breaths per minute)
What is the ventilatory rate?
f x Tidal volume
What is dead space volume?
Tidal Volume X (Dead space volume/Tidal Volume)
What is alveolar ventilation?
f x (V_T - V_D) How much air gets to alveolar region
In lung mechanics, what are pressures measured to? What is assumed if the glottis is open?
all pressures are relative to atmospheric (thus, Patm = 0 cm H2O)
o If the glottis is open, no air flow is occurring & no mechanical device is attached to the mouth, the alveolar pressure is always equal to the atmospheric pressure
How is pressure difference calculated?
measured as inside minus outside ΔP = pressure(in) – pressure(out)
What is transpulmonary pressure?
Transpulmonary pressure (pressure difference across the lung wall) = PA – Ppl
What is the pressure difference across the chest wall?
Pressure difference across the chest wall = Ppl – Patm
Describe elastic recoil
If you have to apply a + pressure to inflate the lung, there must be a force trying to collapse the lung (elastic recoil)
o If you apply negative (subatmospheric) pressure around the lungs, the lungs will inflate
What does elastic recoil depend on? What is it independent of?
Elastic recoil depends on lung volume but is independent of the method by which the lungs are inflated
Describe the lungs within the thoracic cage when there is no muscular effort and the glottis is open
When there’s no muscular effort & the glottis is open, the lungs are at FRC & PA = Patm = 0 cm H2O
Describe elastic recoil of the lungs
Elastic recoil of the lungs = PA – Ppl
this is positive, meaning the lungs will collapse
NB. Elastic recoil pressure is drawn inward on lungs by convention
Describe elastic recoil of the chest wall
Elastic recoil of the chest wall = Ppl – Patm
this is negative, meaning the chest wall will expand
NB. Elastic recoil pressure is drawn inward on lungs by convention
Why is the respiratory system stable at FRC (no muscles, and glottis open)?
The balance of forces (lung tendency to collapse & chest wall tendency to expand outward) makes the respiratory system stable at FRC
What happens if air enters the pleural space?
Respiratory system is stable as long as the system is sealed; if air enters the pleural space, the lungs will collapse
o Pneumothorax = air in lungs (i.e. GSW); hemothorax = blood in lung (i.e. stab wound)
How is subatmospheric pleural space maintained?
Physiologically maintain the subatmospheric pleural space by (1) gas reabsorption into the venous circulation & (2) fluid reabsorption by osmotic forces (pleural fluid has less protein than plasma)
What is the function of pleural fluid?
Pleural fluid simultaneously acts as a lubricant to allow the lung & chest wall to slide over one another and a glue to allow the chest wall & lung to adhere to one another
What is lung compliance? (in words)
LUNG COMPLIANCE = Indicates how easy (higher values) or hard (lower values) it is to inflate the lung
Compliance is defined by? How is it measured?
Compliance = elastic recoil as a function of lung volume = ΔV / ΔP
Measured (infrequently) by measuring volume change using a spirometer & pressure difference across the lung via a swallowed esophageal balloon
Describe compliance in stiff lungs? Emphysema? Fibrosis?
Stiff lungs = low compliance or high elastic recoil
Emphysema = less elastic recoil & more compliant
Fibrosis = more elastic recoil & less compliant
Describe surface tension using water
1 water molecule can make up to 4 H-bonds with surrounding water molecules in a 3D arrangement
o If you place a H2O molecule on a surface, at least 1 H-bond is broken & this is thermodynamically insulting
o H2O will respond by trying to minimize surface area to maximize H-bonds; this behavior is surface tension
How do we calculate elastic recoil pressure as a function of surface tension?
Elastic recoil pressure due to surface tension forces: P = 2γ/r
[γ = surface tension & r = alveolar radius]
Describe the balancing of surface tension
When the pressure-volume work trying to inflate the lung is balanced by the surface tension-area
work trying to deflate the lung, lung stability results
Describe the balance of surface tension at FRC
At FRC, the following forces exist & are balanced (no muscular effort is required):
- Air pressure difference between alveoli & pleural space working to inflate the lung
- Combination of surface tension forces & tissue elastic forces to collapse the lung
Are alveoli lined with water?
Alveoli aren’t lined with water (if they are, they would collapse)
What accounts for the majority of lung elastic recoil?
Alveolar surface tension accounts for most of the lung elastic recoil
Describe what lines the alveoli. Composition? Relation to premature infants?
Alveoli are lined with a secreted material called pulmonary surfactant that’s mostly phosphatidylcholine
(FA chains don’t form H-bonds thus strong surface tension forces don’t exist)
Premature infants discover this because they don’t make surfactant until the last month
What is alveolar surface tension usually?
<10 dynes/cm
Describe surfactant surface tension as a function of lung volume
Surfactant surface tension has to change with lung volume (if not, the smaller one would collapse & empty into the large one); this quality results from compression/expansion of FA
Surface tension decreases with decreasing surface area & lung volume; surface tension increases with increasing surface area & lung volume)
Fractional concentration refers to what type of gas
DRY GAS
MUST always subtract PH20 of 47 mmHg at body temp
Describe the 4 steps to generating an airflow in the breathing cycle?
Generating an Airflow
1. The lung itself is incapable of breathing
2. Breathing is accomplished by (1) muscular effort to contract the diaphragm and (2) muscular
effort to expand the rib cage outward (inspiration) or force the rib cage inward (forced expiration)
3. There are no tissue elements connecting the diaphragm and rib cage to the lung
4. The lung is mechanically coupled to the diaphragm/rib cage by pleural fluid hydraulically
The lung is connected to the diaphragm/rib cage how?
The lung is mechanically coupled to the diaphragm/rib cage by pleural fluid hydraulically
Describe the 4 steps to inspiration
- Contract diaphragm to expand the size of the thoracic cavity
- Since lung’s hydraulically-coupled to the diaphragm/chest wall by pleural fluid, lung expands also
- Now the same amount of air in the lungs is in a larger volume meaning the alveolar pressures
become sub-atmospheric - Air flows in until alveolar pressure = Patm (air flows in response to pressure gradient)
How do we calculate the direction of airflow?
ERlung = PA – Ppl always holds & can be used to determine airflow direction; solve for PA & if
PA = 0 cm H2O then no flow; PA > 0 cm H2O then air flows out; PA < 0 cm H2O then air flows in
How do we classify airway splits?
Airway Classification: 1 splits into 2 & so they are generations: at generation x, we have 2^x airways
What is cross-sectional area in lung context? how calculated?
CROSS SECTIONAL AREA: CSA = πr2 While the
CSA of an individual bronchiole is much smaller than the trachea, there are many more such that the CSA of the trachea is the least & so it is the bottleneck!
What is the bottleneck of airway?
CSA is smallest in trachea
Bronchioles have small CSA but there are many of them to increase total effective CSA
How is flow velocity calculated?
Velocity = rate of airflow/CSA
the linear velocity of air is faster in the trachea than in a bronchiole
Describe the classification difference between central and peripheral airways
By convention, airways > 2 mm are “central airways” and airways < 2 mm are “peripheral airways”
Describe the formulaic relationship of rate of airflow to driving pressure and resistance. Units?
Rate of airflow = driving pressure/resistance reworking of Ohms law: F = P/R
Units of flow = L/sec, units of pressure = cm H2O & units of resistance are cmH2O/(L/sec)
Airway resistance is rarely measured
Describe laminar flow. Resistance is proportional to?
LAMINAR FLOW silent; occurs in peripheral airways (because of amount of cross sectional area)
Resistance is proportional to 1/r^4
Laminar flow resistance is proportional to?
1/r^4 (pressure is 1:1)
Describe turbulent flow. Resistance is proportional to? Pressure?
TURBULENT FLOW makes noise; occurs in central airways, particularly during forced expiration
R 1/ r5 AND increases proportionally with airflow (i.e. if flow doubles, driving pressure must
increase by a factor of 4 [i.e. diaphragm & accessory muscles contract more forcefully])
Describe the relationship of pressure and resistance to turbulent flow
resistance is proportilow onal to 1/r^5
flow proportional to P^2 (e.g. to double airflow, pressure must be quadrupled)
What are the ground rules for dynamic compression
Ground rules: (1) Occurs only during forced expiration (2) occurs only when pleural pressures are positive
During forced expiration, pleural pressures are ….than Patm
Greater than
Describe the pressures during forced expiration
During a forced expiration, the alveolar pressure is positive & counterbalances the pleural pressure & ERlung that are working to
compress/squeeze on the alveolus
ERlung = PA – Ppl; thus, PA = ERlung + Ppl
Air will flow out down the pressure gradient & as it flows the driving pressure will be dissipated & the pressure will drop
What is the equal pressure point?
Equal pressure point = point where the air pressure in the airways equals the pleural pressure
Describe the areas between equal pressure point and the mouth
Between the equal pressure point & the mouth, pleural pressure is greater than the pressure in the airway & airway compression occurs Dynamic compression primarily occurs in central airways
Describe increasing pleural pressure and flow rate response
Above about +10 cm H2O pleural pressure (a mild expiratory effort), further increases in expiratory effort
(as indicated by increase in pleural pressure) produce NO increase in flow rate
What is the purpose of diffusion?
The purpose of diffusion is to make the partial pressure of oxygen in the capillary equal to the partial pressure of oxygen in the alveolar gas [mixed venous blood has a textbook value of PO2 = 40 mmHg)
Mixed venous blood has a textbook value of PO2 of?
~40 mmHg
Describe the states of oxygen from the air to blood
The oxygen must undergo a phase change from a gas in air to a gas dissolved in a liquid
How do we determine the partial pressure of oxygen?
Partial pressure of oxygen in air is determined by Dalton’s law: PO2 = FO2 x (Ptotal – PH2O)
Describe the relationship between partial pressure of oxygen in air and in liquid
Partial pressure of oxygen in liquid = the partial pressure of oxygen in air when the air & the liquid are in equilibrium
What does partial pressure of oxygen in blood include?
Partial pressure of oxygen in a blood doesn’t include O2 bound to Hb, just dissolved O2
Describe what determines diffusion (5 things)
Area: increasing area increases diffusion
Diffusion properties of the gas: depends on MW of the gas
Thickness: longer path for diffusion makes diffusion lower (increased with pulmonary fibrosis)
Capacity of blood for the gas: depends on amount of Hb (decreased with anemia (lungs normal))
Partial pressure of gas in the alveoli: diffusion process is slower at high altitudes
What effect does area have on diffusion?
Increased by larger person, at TLC vs. RV or during exercise
Decreased by lung resection & emphysema
Describe properties of gas on diffusion
Diffusion properties of the gas: depends on MW of the gas
Describe thickness effect on diffusion. Disease state?
Thickness: longer path for diffusion makes diffusion lower (increased with pulmonary fibrosis)
Describe the capacity of blood for gas?
depends on amount of Hb (decreased with anemia (lungs normal))
Describe the partial pressure of gas effect on diffusion.
diffusion process is slower at high altitudes
Describe the generalized diffusion capacity of the lung equation
Vgas = DL x (PA – PC)
What is D_L?
Diffusing Capacity of the Lung (DL) is these terms lumped (A, diffusion properties of gas, thickness, capacity of blood for the gas, partial pressure of gas in the alveoli)
Describe CO diffusion equation
CO bings Hb tightly so that the partial pressure of CO in the capillary is essentially 0… VCO = DLCO x PACO
Describe the steady state technique for measuring diffusion capacity
Patient breaths a gas mixture with very dilute CO
Consumption of CO is measured over several minutes (what went in – what comes out)
Average PACO is estimated by mathematical approximations
D_LCO = V*CO /PACO
What are the components of D_L?
1/DL = 1/DM + 1/(ΘVC)
What is D_M? What reduces it?
DM = membrane diffusing capacity (gas has to cross the membrane)
Reduced in lung resection & emphysema
What is V_C?
VC = pulmonary capillary blood volume (gas has to find its way through the plasma) = 100 mL
What affects V_C?
↑during exercise due to capillary distension & recruitment of other capillaries in the lung
What is theta? What reduces it?
Θ = capacity of 1 ml of blood for O2 (gas has to combine with Hb) - Reduced in anemia
What is the transit time for a red blood cell in the pulmonary capillary bed?
V_c/C.O. = 1.2 sec
What is dissolved oxygen defined as?
Dissolved oxygen = oxygen in blood NOT bound to Hb
How do we calculate dissolved O2?
Amount of dissolved O2 = (Solubility) x (PO2)
What is the solubility of O2 in blood (IMPORTANT)?
Solubility of O2 in blood = 0.003 mL O2/(100 mL blood x mmHg)
How is dissolved O2 expressed?
Dissolved O2 can be expressed as, example, 0.3 mL O2/100 mL blood OR 0.3 vol%
Oxygen binds to Hb at what level?
1 gram of Hb binds 1.39 mL O2
What is oxygen capacity?
amount of oxygen bound to Hb per 100 mL blood when the Hb is fully saturated
How is oxygen capacity calculated?
Oxygen capacity = (g Hb/100 mL blood) x (1.39 mL O2/1 g Hb)
Is 1.39 mL O2/g Hb ever achieved? Why?
- 39mLO2/gHb is a theoretical maximum that’s never met because:
1) Methemoglobin = when ferrous (F2+) has been oxidized to ferric (F3+) & can’t bind O2
2) Carboxyhemoglobin = when Hb binds CO
What is oxygen content?
actual amount of O2 bound to Hb plus dissolved O2
How is oxygen content calculated?
O2 content = (O2 capacity x Saturation) + (amount dissolved O2)
What is used to calculate percent saturation of hemoglobin with oxygen?
Given a PO2, one can use an oxyhemoglobin dissociation curve to determine the % saturation
For example:
Arterial blood has PO2 ~100 mmHg & Hb has 97% saturation
Mixed venous blood has a PO2 ~ 40 mmHg & Hb has 75% saturation