Pulmonary Flashcards
What are some key differences of pulmonary vessels compared to systemic vessels?
- Larger diameters
- Shorter, more branches
- Higher # of arterioles
- Arterioles do not direct flow
- Lower resistance from lower resting muscle tone in arterioles
What occurs to pulmonary vessels during exercise?
Increased cardiac output leads to a decrease in resistance and increase in blood flow: recruitment and distension
How does lung volume affect vascular diameters and resistance?
Alveolar vessels are compressed at higher lung volumes, which increases R
Extra-alveolar vessels are pulled open by expansion of attached parenchyme, which decreases R
Results in a drop in total R followed by an increase
What is hypoxic vasoconstriction?
Constriction of pulmonary vessels below avleolar PO2
What three things affect intravascular pressure (Piv)?
Cardiac cycle - high compliance system does not dampen pulse
Vertical position - gravity leads to high Q at base, low Q at apex
Respiratory cycle - Inspiration: PA Patm
What is the relationship of arterial, alveolar, and venous pressure in the three zones (of West)?
Zone 1: Above LA, decr. Piv.; alv. capillaries crushed –> low Q
PA > Pa > Pv
Zone 2: At LA; arterioles dilated but venules squeezed leading to incr. R and low Q
Pa > PA > Pv
Zone 3: Below LA, causing incr. Piv; Ptm along vessel dilates it causing decr. R
Pa > Pv > PA
How is left atrial pressure measured?
Swan-Ganz catheter threaded through R heart to pulm aa., measuring pulmonary capillary wedge pressure (PCWP), usually 7-8mmHg
What determines the rate of fluid flux out of capillaries?
According to Starling’s Law:
- Difference in capillary and interstitial hydrostatic P
- Difference in oncotic pressure of lung interstitium and plasma multiplied by the reflection coefficient of the membrane
What is Poiseuille’s equation and how does it relate to pulmonary hypertension?
Ppa = Q x PVR + PCWP
The difference in P b/t the pulmonary a. P and left atrial P depends on the blood flow and pulm. vascular R
What are some causes of pulmonary HTN?
Incr. Q: L to R shunts
Incr. Rp: hypoxic vasoconstr., clot, tumor, inflammation
Incr. left atrial P: left ventricular cardiomyopathies, valvular dz
What happens in fetal circulation after birth?
Ductus arteriosus, foramen ovale close due to decr. in R atrial P
Fetal pulm. circulation incr. P due to incr. PO2 and PGI2/PAF
How does PCWP cause pulmonary edema?
When PCWP > 18-25mmHg, fluid moves from the capillaries into the interstitium. If the rate of clearance is exceeded pulmonary edema (interstitial first, then alveolar) will occur
What are the steady state values of PAO2/PaO2 and PACO2/PaCO2? How are these calculated?
PAO2 = 104mmHg PACO2 = 40mmHg PaO2 = 100mmHg PaCO2 = 40mmHg
Pressure of a gas in air present in alveoli (Pi) depends on humidity (PH2O) and the total P of inspired air
Pi = (Ptot - PH2O)(%Pi)
What is anatomic dead space? How can it be measured?
The 150mL of inspired air that remains in the conducting airways after each breath.
Measured by Fowler N2 washout method: pt inhales 100% O2, exhaled air is analyzed for N2. N2 in dead space mixes with inhaled O2
What is physiologic dead space?
VD(phys) = VD(anat) + VD(alv)
Proportion of dead space in each breath:
VD/VT = (PACO2 - PTCO2) / PACO2); normally ~30%
How is alveolar ventilation measured?
Alv V: flow of air into alveoli taking part in gas exchange; must be sufficient for CO2 removal, so PACO2 ~ VCO2 / VA
VA = 0.863 (VCO2 / PACO2)
How do parasympathetic and sympathetic NS affect airflow?
Para: bronchoconstr
Sympa: bronchodilates
Act via increasing [cAMP] in smooth muscle cells
What is vital capacity?
VC = ERV + IC VC = ERV + VT + IRV
Max. vol. of air that can be expelled after a maximal inspiration
What is residual volume?
RV = FRC - ERV
Volume of gas remaining in lungs after forced expiration
What is expiratory reserve volume?
Volume of air beyond normal tidal volume that can be forcibly expired
What is inspiratory reserve volume?
Volume of air beyond normal tidal volume that can be forcibly inspired
What is functional residual capacity?
FRC RV + ERV
Volume of gas remaining in lungs after tidal expiration; cannot be directly measured
What two factors contribute to lung collapsibility?
Alveolar surface tension: surfactant lowers T when r reduced, preventing collapse of smaller alveoli into larger ones
Elastic fibers: alveoli tethered by fibers in interstitium tend to pull and hold alveoli open - lowers R – radial traction
What is the differential diagnosis for obstructive lung disease?
F - foreign body A - asthma C - chronic bronchitis/bronchiectasis E - emphysema S - small airway disease
What is the PFT hallmark of obstructive lung disease? Emphysema? Chronic bronchitis?
Decr. FEV1 Decr. FVC Decr. FEV1/FVC Incr. TLC Decr. DLCO
What is the differential diagnosis for restrictive lung disease?
P - Pleural disease A - alveolar filling disease (ARDS) I - Interstitial lung diseases N - neuromuscular T - thoracic cage abnormalities (kyphoscoliosis)
What PFTs are indicative of restrictive lung disease?
Decr. FEV1 Decr. FVC Incr. or nl FEV1/FVC Decr. or nl FEF25-75 Decr. TLC Decr. FRC Decr. DLCO
What is compliance and how is it affected by increasing volume?
Change in volume as transmural pressure is changed
∆V / ∆Ptm
Compliance decr. as volume incr. and walls approach maximum stretch
Why does the slope of the compliance curve differ from inhalation to exhalation? What is this called?
Greater P is needed to open a previously closed airway than to keep an open airway from closing. This effect is called hysteresis
How do restrictive and obstructive lung diseases affect lung compliance?
Restrictive - scarring causes incr. interstitial tissue, reducing compliance, incr. WOB
Obstructive - emphysema: destroy parenchyma, increasing compliance
Why is expiratory flow limited in COPD?
Loss of radial traction - airway collapse in expiration
Loss of elastic recoil - decr. alv. driving P
What factors affect normal PFT values?
Age - older lower
Sex - women lower
Race - blacks lower
Height - shorter lower
How are flow volume loops changed in disease states?
Obstructive: shifted left, characteristic “scoop” on expiration, reduced total flow
Restrictive: Normal shape, shifted right, reduced total flow
What determines the diffusion of a gas across a membrane?
Gas solubility, pressure difference, area of diffusion, thickness of membrane
Diffusion ~ (A x G x ∆P) / T
Why do O2 and CO2 diffuse at similar rates in the lung?
Driving force for diffusion is ∆P. Since ∆PO2 > ∆PCO2 (60mmHg vs. 6mmHg) they diffuse similarly
How are diffusion and perfusion capacities measured?
Diffusion: DLCO - measures ability of CO to cross into bloodstream independent of blood flow
Perfusion: N2O - amount taken up depends on blood flow and not barrier
How is the alveolar PO2 estimated?
PAO2 = PIO2 - (PaCO2/0.8) PAO2 = 150 - (PaCO2/0.8)
What is the Aa gradient, how is it calculated, and what is its significance?
The Aa gradient measures the difference in PO2 b/t alveolar gas and mixed arterial blood; a large Aa gradient indicates pathology of gas exchange (nl 5-10mmHg; or age x 0.3).
Aa = 150 - PCO2/0.8 - PaO2
Why does helium dilution underestimate lung volume in obstructive lung disease?
Helium doesn’t reach portions of the lungs distal to the obstruction
Why is diffused O2 so important for normal gas exchange?
Due to cooperative binding of O2 to Hb, the presence of extracellular O2 diffused in the plasma ensures that O2 is delivered where it is needed–small ∆ in SaO2 drastically changes Hb binding of O2
What is the equation for the amount of O2 carried in the blood?
CaO2 = (1.34 x Hb x SaO2) + (0.003 x PaO2)
Total amount carried by hemoglobin plus dissolved plasma O2
What factors occur in actively working tissue and how do they affect Hb binding O2?
Incr. tempr
Incr. PCO2
Incr. 2,3-DPG
Incr. acidity (decr. pH)
All 4 decrease Hb affinity for O2
What effect do drugs or chemicals such as nitrites and sulfonamides have on Hb? How is this dealt with?
Oxidize Hb to MetHb, which can’t bind O2. Reduced by MetHb reductase, so only 1.5% of Hb is in MetHb state
How is CO2 transported in the blood (3 forms)?
Dissolved CO2 (6%) Bicarbonate (70%) - carbonic anhydrase in RBCs Carbamino compounds (24%) - carbaminoHb formed by CO2 combining with free amine groups
What is the Haldane effect?
Oxygenation of blood decreases its ability to carry CO2
Deoxygenation of blood increases its ability to carry CO2
What is the equation to calculate alveolar O2?
PAO2 = FIO2 x (Patm - PH2O) - (PACO2 / R)
Normally 100mmHg
What are some causes of hypoxemia (6)?
V/Q mismatch (most common) Reduced DLCO (increased Aa gradient) Alveolar hypoventilation Reduced PIO2 (altitude) Reduced FIO2 (fire) Shunt (V/Q = 0)
What equation describes the relationship between arterial PCO2, CO2 production, and alveolar ventilation?
PaCO2 = K(VCO2 / VA)
The arterial PCO2 is proportional to the volume of CO2 produced by the tissues divided by the alveolar ventilation
What are four common causes of hypercapnia?
Alveolar hypoventilation (decr. VA)
Incr. VD/VT (rapid, shallow breathing)
Incr. CO2 production (w/ fixed ventilation)
Severe V/Q mismatch
How does the lung respond to high V/Q due to changes in perfusion?
Hypocapnic bronchoconstriction
VA is decreased to compensate for decreased blood flow. VA is increased elsewhere to accommodate increased Q caused by blocked vessels.
If Q is increased, VA is increased.
How does the lung respond to low V/Q?
Hypoxic vasoconstriction, in order to offset effects of shunt (hypoxemia)