O2 Supply N Demand Flashcards
Ventilation
Movement of air in and out of the lungs
What are the major influencing factors of ventilation?
- Muscle function
- Lung compliance
- Airway resis
What happens in ventilation?
Regulated by chemoreceptors sending msg to brain: increase RR and tidal volume.
1. Peripheral chemoreceptors are sensitive to decreased PaO2 lvls below 60 mmhg
2. Central chemoreceptors are sensitive to increased PaCO2 lvls
What is the best indicator of ventilation?
PaCO2
Normal PaCO2: 35-45mmHg
- CO2 diffuses 20x more easily than O2
Why is knowing that CO2 diffusing 20x more easily than O2 important?
This means that despite a pathological problem with diffusion (ie. pulmonary edema causing a thickened AC membrane), CO2 will pass from the pulmonary capillary to the alveoli more easily than O2.
What decreases CO2 levels through exhalation?
the function of VENTILATION
Inadequate ventilation will cause: (not S&S!!)
*CO2 levels rise in the alveoli
*Decreasing CO2 driving pressure
*Slowed movement of CO2 from the pulmonary capillary to the alveoli
This results in elevated PaCO2 levels.
What is Respiratory Muscle Function (RMF)?
The ability/strength of the respiratory muscles
What happens if RMF is decreased?
then vital capacity will be decreased and patient may be at risk of not protecting own airway with the decreased ability to take a deep breath in and cough forcefully
How is RMF decreased by? (Ax)
Decreased by:
•Older age
•Poor nutrition
•Generalized weakness/tiredness
•Accessory muscle use
•Exhaustion (overuse: fast RR, increased WOB)
•Prolonged mechanical ventilation (underuse/muscle atrophy)
Other things to consider:
•Weak cough (think RMF)
•Tracheal indrawing (think RMF)
•Brain injury
•Diaphragm function
•spinal cord injury
•Multiple sclerosis
•Guillian-Barre
•Spinal deformity (kyphosis, scoliosis)
•Drugs: paralytics
When O2 supply is decreased to the brain, what are the specific S&S?
- restlessness
- agitation
- confusion
- decreased LOC
- GCS change
- pain
When O2 supply is decreased to the heart, what are the specific S&S?
- tachycardia
- ST changes
- dysrhythmias
- chest pain/angina/MI
- MAP
- increased troponin
When O2 supply is decreased to the lungs, what are the specific S&S?
- increased RR
- SOB
- hypoxemia
- O2 requirements
When O2 supply is decreased to the GI system, what are the specific S&S?
- n/v
- last BM
- decreased bowel sounds
- loss of appetite
- ischemic bowel
- elevated liver enzymes/liver failure
When O2 supply is decreased to the kidneys, what are the specific S&S?
- decreased urine output
- dark/amber urine
- elevated creatinine
- decreased eGFR
- acute kidney injury
What is lung compliance?
- the ease with which the lungs can be inflated (distensibility)
- most processes decrease lung compliance
Lung compliance (elastic) is decreased by (Ax details):
Fluid in the lungs:
- crackles (fine/coarse)
- secretions/mucous/inflammation
- pulmonary edema
- productive cough
- pink frothy sputum
- thick, yellow sputum
- chest X-ray & CT finding: wet looking lungs, edema, atelectasis, infiltrates, opacities, consolidation, pneumonia, COPD, fibrosis, ARDS
Fluid outside the lungs in pleural space:
- hemothorax/pneumothorax
- pleural effusion/empyema
Lung changes:
- atelectasis
Lung compliance (elastic) - is increased by (Ax details):
- flail chest (rib fractures) lungs can expand beyond rib cage
- emphysema (loss of elastin) lungs get big and baggy and do not recoil back into shape leading hyperinflation of alveoli
Other things to consider:
- chest x-ray & CT findings: wet looking lungs, edema, atelectasis, infiltrates, opacities, consolidation, pneumonia, COPD, fibrosis, ARDS, etc
What is airway resistance?
- the impedance of bringing in air to inflate the lungs
- mainly influenced by airway diameter
- airway resis is determined by narrowing of the airways
What are some airway resistance (impedance) assessment details?
Increased by:
- wheezes (think increased airway resistance)
- tube size (trach, OETT)
- partial/complete obstruction
- mucous plugs
- bronchospasm
- airway edema
- inflammation
- lots of secretions, especially thick mucous
- asthma/anaphylaxis
Other things to consider:
- tumour
- bronchoconstriction and bronchospasm (asthma attack, anaphylaxis)
- bronchiectasis (chronic condition where the walls of the bronchi are thickened from inflammation)
- SNS response (bronchodilation)
- bronchodilators (this will decrease airway resistance)
What is WOB?
The amount of work that must be done to overcome the “elastic” and “resistive” properties of the lungs
What is compliance?
The ease with which the lungs can be inflated, the distensibility of tissue
What is resistance?
Describes the impedance to bring in air to inflate the lungs, which is mainly influenced by the diameter of the airway
How will WOB be increased?
If lung compliance and airway resistance are abnormal and will negatively impact lung volume
What does WOB effect?
- RR
- tidal volume
RR x Vt = minute ventilation
What is tidal volume?
The total amount of air that moves in or out of the lungs with each respiratory cycle at rest
What are some assessment details to assess lung volume?
- decreased breath sounds
- shallow breathing
- atelectasis
- pain, rib/spinal fractures, chest tubes (think this can decrease Vt)
Other considerations:
- IPAP intended to increase Vt (BIPAP setting)
- hemo/pneumothorax, empyema, pleural effusions (any fluid in pleural space)
What is vital capacity?
The total volume of air forcefully expelled from the lungs after maximum inhalation
What are some assessment details for vital capacity of the lung volume?
- respiratory muscle function (RMF)
- cough strength
- anything that decreases the strength of the muscles (spinal cord injury, ALS, GB)
- trends in VC volume numbers
What is Functional Residual Capacity?
The amount of air left in the lungs after normal expiration
What are some assessment details for function residual capacity?
- prolonged decreased breath sounds
- prolonged shallow breathing
- atelectasis
Other considerations:
- EPAP increased FRC (BiPAP setting)
- PEEP increases FRC (Ventilator setting)
- Emphysema can increase FRC
What is the relationship between RR and Ventilation?
- increased RR (compensation) will increase ventilation (when it decreased PaCO2)
- decreased RR (oversedation, drug OD, brain injury) will decrease ventilation when it results in increased PaCO2)
- Kussmaul breathing will increase RR and tidal volume
Important considerations:
- pt could have healthy lungs, and the only issue with ventilation is decreased RR, this is the ventilation issue, so ventilation will be decreased for example a pt with drug OD
What happens in Normal Ventilation in regards to Ventilation Conclusion and PaCO2?
- Normal PaCO2
- Despite abnormal findings in lung compliance, airway resis, tidal volume, and RMF, ventilation is normal if PaCO2 is within normal range. Therefore, conclude that ventilation is normal
What happens in Increased Ventilation in regards to Ventilation Conclusion and PaCO2?
- Decreased PaCO2
- Despite abnormal findings in lung compliance, airway resis, tidal volume, and RMF, ventilation is increased if PaCO2 is decreased since CO2 is being blown off
- RR and Tidal Volume have increased to normalize minute ventilation to compensate for a decrease in oxygen supply, but in this process, more CO2 is exhaled
- when PaCO2 is decreased, conclude that ventilation is increased no matter what condition or disease is present
What happens in Decreased Ventilation in regards to Ventilation Conclusion and PaCO2?
- Increased PaCO2
- when lung compliance, airway resis, tidal volume and RMF are abnormal and PaCO2 is elevated, then make the conclusion of decreased ventilation
- or if no identified ventilation issue, but RR is decreased and increased PaCO2, conclude that ventilation is decreased
What is the Ventilation Conclusion when PaCO2 is unavailable?
If assessment data and the determinants conclusions are abnormal, and the pt does not have PaCO2 value, then conclude that ventilation is decreased
What is alveolar gas exchange?
A process by which O2 and CO2 cross the alveolar-capillary membrane by diffusion between the respiratory system and the blood stream
Oxygenation is most affected by factors influencing gas exchange:
- V/Q matching
- diffusion
What do you measure in Alveolar Gas Exchange?
PaO2 level
- PaO2 normal is 80-100 (normal gas exchange)
What is the V and Q in V/Q matching?
V = Ventilation in lungs
Q = Blood flow in the lungs (perfusion)
What is V/Q matching?
- Ventilation to perfusion ratio (V/Q ratio) of alveolar ventilation to alveolar perfusion at the site of gas exchange
- used to assess adequate matching of ventilation to perfusion for sufficient gas
What is a shunt or shunt-like unit caused by?
any identified ventilation issue is a ventilation issue for the alveoli:
- crackles
- pneumonia
- COPD
- mucous plugging
- atelectasis
- pulmonary edema
- decreased RR
What is a dead space or dead space-like unit caused by?
Decreased cardiac output:
- pulmonary vasoconstriction
- pulmonary embolism
- HF
- decreased preload
- hemorrhage
- surgical blood loss
- dehydration
- or any issue that decreases perfusion to the alveoli is a perfusion problem
**Rmbr: perfusion is about blood flow when discussing dead space, not oxygenation
What is a shunt?
No ventilation but adequate perfusion (ie. mucous plug or complete obstruction)
What is a shunt-like unit?
Some ventilation with adequate perfusion (ie. partial obstruction, inflammation)
What is normal V/Q matching ratio?
adequate ventilation and perfusion
What is a dead space-like unit?
decreased perfusion but adequate ventilation (ie. decreased cardiac output)
What is a dead space?
no perfusion but adequate ventilation (ie. pulmonary embolism)
Define Diffusion
movement of molecules moving from higher to lower concentration
What are the factors affecting diffusion in the lungs?
- thickness of the alveolar-capillary membrane
- SA of the a-c membrane
- the solubility of the gases (diffusion coefficient)
- concentration gradients of the gases (driving pressures)
Thickness of the A-C membrane
A thin tissue barrier through which gases are exchanged between the alveoli and blood in the pulmonary capillaries. The thicker the a-c membrane, the slower the rate of diffusion of gases
Assessment Details re: Diffusion
- crackles
- secretions, mucous
- productive cough, yellow sputum
- inflammation, consolidation, lung infection
Other things to consider:
- chest x-ray & CT findings - wet looking lungs, edema, atelectasis, infiltrates, opacities, fibrosis, COPD, pneumonia
*Atelectasis or fluid in pleural space does NOT affect thickness of a-c membrane
Alveolar SA
The amount of area within the alveolar walls that participate in gas exchange. Process that decreases actual or potential surface