Pft Explanation Flashcards
TLCO gas exchange - low or raised?
TLCO depends on how much blood is present to pick up the oxygen (or CO during test!)
Raised TLCO :-
Asthma - pulmonary vasodilation occurs in response to bronchoconstriction
Pul hemorrhage
Polycythemia
Right to left heart shunt
Hyperkinetic states which increase HR: exercise, fever, thyrotoxicosis
Male gender
low TLCO
pulmonary fibrosis
Pulm hypertension
COPD/brochiectasis (air trapping in bronchioles)
Emphysema (damaged alveolar walls)
Pneumonia (mucus)
Pulmonary embolism (blocked pulmonary circulation)
Anemia
Low cardiac output
Whats KCO
KCO measures the abitility of the lungs in transferring carbon monoxide from the alveoli (air sacs in the lungs) into the blood.
Its the transfer coefficient.
It increases as a compensatory mechanism to reduced lung volume, when remaining lungs try to compensate for the loss of volume by increasing KCO.
Whereas TLCO is a measure of the transfer of the gas between alveoli and blood
KCO also tends to increase with age. Some conditions may cause an increased KCO with a normal or reduced TLCO
pneumonectomy/lobectomy
scoliosis/kyphosis
neuromuscular weakness
ankylosis of costovertebral joints e.g. ankylosing spondylitis
