Physiology - Respiratory Flashcards
What are the typical volumes of the lung?
- tidal volume = 500ml
- inspiratory reserve volume = 3L
- vital capacity = 5L
- residual volume = 1.2L
- functional residual capacity = 3L
- expiratory reserve volume = 1.2L
- total lung capacity = 6L
What respiratory volumes can be measured in the ED and elsewhere
ED: spirometry measures FEV1 and FVC, ventilators measure TV
other: helium dilution can measure TLV, FRC and RV
Describe the components of total lung capacity
residual volume + expiratory reserve volume + tidal volume + inspiratory reserve volume
What is residual volume and describe methods of measuring it
the volume of gas remaining in the lung after maximum expiration
measured by helium dilution, body plethysmography or nitrogen washout method
What is anatomical dead space and physiological dead space (how do they differ) and how are they measured
dead space = portion of tidal volume that does not participate in gas exchange
anatomical dead space:
- refers to the conducting zones of the lung, do not contain alveoli, normally contain a volume of 150ml
- from trachea to terminal bronchiole and take no part in gas exchange
- measured by Fowler method
physiological dead space:
- parts of the lung with ventilation but no perfusion, does not eliminate CO2
- usually the same as anatomical dead space, but increases in lung disease
- measured by Bohr method
What will lead to increased physiological dead space?
ventilation perfusion mismatch = non-perfused alveoli and alveoli with wasted ventilation
e.g. PE, shock/hypovolaemia, RV failure, excessive PEEP, COPD
(dead space: physiological = anatomical + alveolar)
Explain Fick’s law of diffusion
amount of gas moving across tissue is:
proportional to area of the diffusion membrane
pressure gradient across the membrane
diffusion constant
inversely proportional to
thickness of membrane
-volume of gas transferred = (area of tissue/thickness of tissue) x diffusion constant x partial pressure difference
What is the difference between diffusion limited and perfusion limited
diffusion limited:
- amount of substance transferred is limited by diffusion properties of the blood-gas barrier and not blood flow
- partial pressure of gas does not reach equilibration in time the blood spends in capillaries
- gas that is highly soluble and does not form a partial pressure in blood
- examples = CO moves rapidly into RBC with minimal change in plasma
perfusion limited:
- amount of gas taken up by blood depends on the amount of available blood flow and not diffusion properties
- partial pressure on both sides of the membrane equilibrates rapidly so no further diffusion without increased flow
- gas is highly insoluble and forms a rapid partial pressure in blood
- examples = N2O does not combine with Hb and partial pressure rises rapidly, O2, CO2
which Law is involved
What factors influence the rate of oxygen transfer from the alveolus into the pulmonary capillary
- ficks law: gas transferred = (area of tissue/thickness of tissue) x diffusion constant x partial pressure difference
- mostly perfusion limited
How do you measure diffusion capacity
Diffusing capacity, aka. DLCO (Diffusing Capacity of the Lungs for Carbon Monoxide) measures how effectively gases can diffuse across the lung’s alveolar-capillary membrane.
CO is used for measurement because its uptake is solely diffusion limited (not limited by perfusion, as CO is so avidly taken up by Hb that it has a uniform distribution in the alveolar and pulmonary capillaries).
Fick’s law of diffusion: diffusion flux Vgas ∝ Area x Δ(Palveolar - Pcapillary) / Thickness
What conditions may affect the rate of transfer of oxygen from the alveolus into a pulmonary capillary
exercise
alveolar hypoxia
thickening of the blood gas barrier
What is the effect of heavy exercise on oxygen uptake in the pulmonary capillary
- reduced time for combination with Hb with possible reduced Hb saturation
- shifts saturation curve to the right
What factors influence the distribution of pulmonary arterial blood
alveolar hypoxia
gravity (Describewest zone)
vascular resistance
pulmonary disease
vasoactive substances
sympathetic stimulation
What extra-pulmonary factors influence pulmonary blood flow
Patient factors:
blood volume
cardiac output
pathology
exercise
posture
Environmental factors:
atmospheric pressure
temperature
Describe the normal distribution of pulmonary blood flow in an upright lung
-decreases linearly from base to apex
-influenced by gravity and divided into 3 zones:
Zone 1 = V/Q >1 PA>Pa>Pv, capillaries are squashed, no flow, does not normally occur
Zone 2 = V.Q=1 Pa>PA>Pv, capillaries are partly squashed, flow occurs
Zone 3 = V/Q <1 Pa>Pv>PA, capillaries are distended, flow is based on normal arterial-venous pressure difference
How does the distribution of blood change in lungs when the subject becomes supine
- blood flow from base to apex becomes almost uniform
- flow in posterior segments exceeds that in anterior segments
How is the distribution of pulmonary blood flow actively controlled
pulmonary vasoconstrictors =
local hypoxia
serotonin
histamine
thromboxane A2
endothelin
acidosis
pulmonary vasodilators =
NO
PGI2
phosphodiesterase inhibitors
calcium channel blockers
Explain how cardiogenic pulmonary edema occurs
- via starling’s law: differences in capillary and interstitial hydrostatic pressure and colloid osmotic pressures
- increased hydrostatic pressure caused by heart failure pushes fluid out of capillary, leading to interstitial edema
How do you calculate pulmonary vascular resistance
- vascular resistance = (input pressure - output pressure) / blood flow
- pulmonary vascular resistance is normally very low
What are the determinants of pulmonary vascular resistance
-increased pressure causes a reduction in resistance by recruitment and distension
- large lung volumes causes increased resistance by narrowing pulmonary capillaries
- small lung volumes cause increased resistance if critical opening pressure is not reached
- hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction directs blood away from hypoxic lung
- drugs = increased by serotonin, histamine, NA and decreased by acetylcholine
Describe hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction
- alveolar hypoxia constricts pulmonary blood vessels via direct effect of alveolar pO2 on smooth muscle
- important at birth and directs blood away from hypoxic areas
What 2 mechanisms allow pulmonary vascular resistance to fall
- recruitment: opening of previously closed vessels as pressure in pulmonary artery increases
- distension: increase in caliber of vessel at higher vascular pressure
Describe the relationship between pulmonary vascular resistance and pulmonary vascular pressure
- resistance decreases with increased pressure
- mechanisms: vascular recruitment and distension
How does lung volume influence pulmonary vascular resistance
- vascular resistance initially decreases as lung volumes increase, then rises
- very low lung volumes: lungs collapse and must reach a critical opening pressure to enable any flow
- very high lung volumes: alveolar pressure exceeds pulmonary capillary pressure, squashes pulmonary capillaries
What are the metabolic functions of the lung
synthesis of: surfactant, phospholipids, proteins, prostaglandins, histamine, kallikrein, IgA
activation of: angiotensin I converted to angiotensin II by ACE
inactivation/removal of: bradykinin, adenine, serotonin, NA, acetylcholine
What is the alveolar gas equation
-describes the relationship between fall in PO2 and rise in PCO2
PAO2 = PIO2 - (PACO2 / 0.8) [PIO2 = FiO2 x (Patm - PH2O) = 0.21 x (760 - 47) = 149] [PACO2 = 40]
-if ventilation is halved, PACO2 is doubled to 80
How do you calculate the Aa gradient and why is it important
- Aa gradient = alveolar PO2 - arterial PO2 = (149-PACO2/0.8) - PaO2 [PaCO2 is used to estimate PACO2]
- normal Aa gradient is 5-10mmHg
- high gradient indicates ventilation-perfusion inequality such as in a pulmonary embolism
Explain the reason for the normal Aa gradient
- there is normally a ventilation perfusion inequality and most blood flow comes from the base
- the addition of shunted blood with low O2 reduces arterial O2 concentration
What are the causes of hypoxia
1) hypoventilation = due to drugs, chest damage, respiratory muscle paralysis, resistance
2) diffusion limitation = impaired diffusion due to exercise or thickened blood gas barrier state
3) shunt = blood that enters arterial circulation without going through ventilated areas of the lung
4) ventilation-perfusion inequality = hypoxaemia due to V/Q mismatch cannot be corrected with hyperventilation
How does hypoxia affect oxygenation
- alveolar to pulmonary capillary oxygen gradient is decreased, oxygen diffusion is decreased
- rate of rise of pO2 for a given O2 concentration in blood is less
What does the ventilation perfusion ratio mean
- the concentration of oxygen in any respiratory unit is determined by the ratio of alveolar ventilation to blood flow
- normal V/Q ratio is 0.8
Describe the relationship between ventilation and perfusion in the upright lung, draw a graph
- blood flow and ventilation both increase from top to bottom of the lung with blood flow increasing more rapidly
- ventilation perfusion ratio decreases from top to bottom of lung
- apex: ventilation is greater than perfusion, high V/Q (but both ventilation and perfusion are lower than in the base)
- base: perfusion is greater than ventilation, low V/Q