Pulmonary Circulation Flashcards
Pulmonary Circulation
Largest vascular bed
Accommodates the entire cardiac output from the right heart
Rarely concerned with directing bloodflow
Bronchial Circulation
1-2% of cardiac output
Empties into pulmonary vein
Generates physiological shunt
With greater pathology –> greater amount is shunted (wasted volume)
Cardiac Output
Output of blood per minute
5L/min
R = to lungs
L = to body
In contrast to systemic circulation, in the lung….
- Rarely concerned with directing blood flow
- Much lower pressure
- Better clot filter
- Contains about 10% of total blood volume
Lower pressure in pulmonary circulation
Maintained by low resistance due to # of capillaries
Less smooth muscle than vessels in systemic circulation –> so changes diameter
Pulm. Circ. better clot filter
Can be bad with pulmonary embolism
Fibrinolytic substances are released from endothelium
Relationship btw. perfusion pressure and resistance unique in the lung
P = flow * resistance
Resistance is inversely related to diameter and pressure
As arterial pressure goes up, resistance goes down
As you increase cardiac output, what happens to flow, resistance and pressure
Increase flow
Increase pressure
Decrease resistance - alveoli are recruiting more capillaries and distend the ones that are already open
How does vascular resistance get so low?
- Recruitment
2. Distension
Recruitment
As you recruit more capillaries, pressure will drop
Fewer open capillaries at lung apex at rest
With increased CO2, the capillaries will open
As inc press, alveoli will recruit more and open up and keep resistance down
Distention
Inc CO2 stretches capillaries so they open more, pulmonary capillaries are thin and compliant
Benefits to vascular resistance being low
capillary recruitment and distension increase surface area for gas exchange
Decreases risk of pulmonary edema
- if had high pressure, there would be an inc in fluid leakage and edema
Resistance is affected by lung volume - inhalation
Alveolar vessels (pul cap) are exposed to expanding alveoli and are compressed Extraalveolar vessels are exposed to decreasing intrapleural pressure and expand Inhale = inc resistance
Resistance is affected by lung volume - exhalation
apposite occurs
Decrease resistance
Lower resistance does what to work of the heart
lowers the work
Resistance is lowest when>
FRC
Resistance affected by chemical mediators
Unique response to oxygen
Hypoxic Pulmonary VC = dec in O2 tension, Inc in pulmonary vascular resistance
Regional Hypoxia
due to bronchial obstruction
Diverts blood away from poorly ventilated areas
Constrict area with bad gas exchange and distribute blood to areas where gas exchange can occur
Generalized Hypoxia
Altitude –> widespread inc in pulmonary vascular resistance and pressure –> might lead to pulmonary hypertension and right heart hypertrophy
NE
Vasoconstriction
Bronchodilation
Hypoxic Pulmonary Vasoconstriction
Controls pulmonary blood flow distribution to better ventilated areas –> main mechanism for explaining sustained pulmonary hypertension
Hypoxic Pulmonary Vasoconstriction triggered by,…
- Airway obstruction
- Acute lung damage (pneumonia)
- Altitude
- Diseases like COPD
Pulmonary Arterioles Dec O2 vs. Inc O2
Dec = Vasoconstriction Inc = Vasodilation
Systemic Arterioles Dec O2 vs Inc O2
Dec = vasodilation Inc = vasoconstriction
Blood flow and air distribution in lung
More flow where?
More flow at base
More ventilation where?
Base
Ventilation Perfusion Mismatch -
Ideal match when ratio is 1, typically is .8 throughout the lung though
At base there is more
Flow than ventilation
More flow and ventilation though compared to apex
At apex there is more
Ventilation than flow
But both still lower at apex compared to base
Arterial pressure inc from…
apex to base