Respiratory Responses to Exercise Flashcards
Pulmonary respiration
◦ Ventilation
◦ Exchange of O2 and CO2 in the lungs
Cellular respiration
O2 utilization and CO2 production by the tissues
Purposes of the respiratory system during exercise
Gas exchange between the environment and the body
◦ Regulation of acid-base balance during exercise
Do respiratory muscles fatigue during exercise?
Current evidence suggests that respiratory muscles do fatigue during exercise
◦ Prolonged (>120 minutes)
◦ High-intensity (90–100% VO2 max)
Do respiratory muscle adapt to training?
Increased oxidative capacity improves respiratory muscle endurance
◦ Reduced work of breathing
Pulmonary Ventilation
The amount of air moved in or out of the lungs per minute (V)
V = VT x f V = VA + VD
Tidal volume (VT)
Amount of air moved per breath
Breathing frequency (f)
Number of breaths per minute
Alveolar ventilation (VA)
Volume of air that reaches the respiratory zone
Dead-space ventilation (VD)
Volume of air remaining in conducting airways
Pulmonary circuit
Same rate of flow as systemic circuit ◦Lower pressure
When standing, most of the blood flow is to
the base of the lung
Due to gravitational force
During exercise, blood flow to
to apex
Ventilation Perfusion Relationships
Ventilation/Perfusion ration (V/Q)
Indicates matching of blood flow to ventilation
Ideal: 1.0
Apex of lung: underperfused (ratio <1.0)
Base of lung: Overperfused (ratio >1.0)
Ventilation-Perfusion Relationships: During Exercise
Light exercise improves V/Q ratio
◦ Heavy exercise results in V/Q inequality
O2 Transport in the Blood
99% of O2 is transported bound to hemoglobin (Hb)
◦ Oxyhemoglobin: Hb bound to O2
◦ Deoxyhemoglobin: Hb not bound to O2
Amount of O2 that can be transported per unit volume of blood is dependent on the Hb concentration
◦ Each gram of Hb can transport 1.34 ml O2
Oxygen Content of Blood for males and females
Oxygen content of blood (100% Hb saturation)
◦ Males:
150 g Hb/L blood x 1.34 ml O2/g Hb = 200 ml O2/L blood
◦ Females:
130 g Hb/L blood x 1.34 ml O2/g Hb = 174 ml O2/L blood
Oxyhemoglobin Dissociation Curve
Reaction= Deoxyhemoglobin + O2 -> Oxyhemoglobin
Direction of reaction depends on: PO2 of blood and affinity between Hb and O2
At lung= high PO2 (formation of oxyhemoglbin
At tissues = Low PO2 (release of O2 to tissues)
pH effect on O2- Hb Dissociation Curve
Decreased pH lowers Hb-O2 affinity
Results in rightward shift of curve
Favors offloading of O2 to tissues
Temperature effect on O2- Hb Dissociation Curve
Increased blood temperature lowers Hb-O2 affinity
Results in rightward shift of the curve
2-3 DPG effect on O2- Hb Dissociation Curve
Byproduct of RBC glycolysis
May result in a rightward shift of the curve
Can happen during altitude exposure but not major cause of rightward shift
O2 Transport in Muscle
Myoglobin (Mb)
◦ Shuttles O2 from the cell membrane to the mitochondria
Mb has a higher affinity for O2 than hemoglobin
◦Even at low PO2
◦Allows Mb to store O2
◦ O2 reserve for muscle
◦ Buffers O2 needs at onset of exercise until cardiopulmonary system increases O2 delivery
CO2 transport in blood
Dissolved in plasma (10%)
Bound to hB (20%)
Bicarbonate (70%)
CO2 transport in blood at tissue
H+ binds to Hb
◦ HCO3– diffuses out of RBC into plasma
◦ Cl– diffuses into RBC (chloride shift)