Energy Production & Oxygen Consumption Flashcards

1
Q

What drives oxygen to different places?

A

the partial pressure of oxygen

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

What drives oxygen towards the mitochondria and why?

A

The pressure gradient drives oxygen towards the mitochondria

pO2 is low in the mitochondria as oxygen is being consumed

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

What is the oxygen cascade?

A

the oxygen cascade describes the different stages of the partial pressure of oxygen from when it is breathed in to when it reaches the mitochondria

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

What are the stages of the oxygen cascade, from when it is breathed in?

A
  1. dry air
  2. humid air
  3. alveolar gas
  4. pulmonary capillary
  5. arterial blood
  6. venous blood
  7. cytoplasm
  8. mitochondria

pO2 decreases as it moves down the cascade

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

What is the pO2 of dry inspired air?

A

21 kPa

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

What is the first thing that happens to dry inspired air?

A

The air is humidified by adding a fixed amount of water at 37oC

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

What is the result of humidification of dry inspired air?

What is the pO2 of inspired humid air?

A

Humidification means oxygen is diluted slightly

pO2 = 19.9 kPa

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

What happens to air as it enters the lung?

A

It meets CO2 that is leaving the lung

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

What is pCO2 in the alveolus and how does this influence air entering the lung?

A

pCO2 = 5-6 kPa

Oxygen entering the lung becomes diluted by the same amount as the amount of CO2 present

Every time pCO2 increases by 1 kPa, pO2 will decrease by 1 kPa

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

What is the pO2 of alveolar gas?

A

14.9 kPa

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

What is the pO2 in the pulmonary capillaries?

A

14.9 kPa

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

Why is pO2 in the pulmonary capillaries very similar to the pO2 in alveolar gas?

A

Diffusion from the air space in the alveoli to the haemoglobin is very efficient

All the structures are very thin and there is a large surface area of lung

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

What is meant by an area of the lung having a ‘low ventilation to perfusion ratio’?

A

Some areas of the lung do not get enough ventilation for the amount of blood which flows through them

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

Which areas of the lung tend to have a low ventilation to perfusion ratio?

Why?

A

The less well ventilated areas are at the base of the lung

This is due to the effect of gravity

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

Why may there be a lower pO2 in arterial blood than in pulmonary capillaries?

A

If there is not enough O2 in the alveolus, the blood is not fully oxygenated

This blood mixes with oxygenated blood to provide a lower pO2 in arterial blood

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

What is the pO2 of arterial blood?

A

13.6 kPa

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

How is arterial pO2 measured?

A

A needle is inserted into the radial artery

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

What happens once the blood has entered the capillaries?

A

Oxygen diffuses out of the capillary and into cellular mitochondria

This is a long distance

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

What is mean tissue pO2?

A

5 kPa

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

What pO2 is required for the mitochondria to work efficiently?

A

0.15 kPa

There is an excess supply of oxygen to the mitochondria

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

What happens if pO2 is less than 0.15 kPa at the mitochondria?

A

The mitochondria develop anaerobic respiration

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
22
Q

What does the Krogh model describe?

A

How oxygen gets from the capillary into the cells of a tissue

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
23
Q

According to the Krogh model, how are tissues and their capillary supply arranged?

A

All tissues are arranged in a cylinder with one capillary supplying each cylinder

The capillary is in the centre of the cylinder, with tissue surrounding it

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
24
Q

What happens to pO2 along the capillary, according to the Krogh model?

A

pO2 falls in an exponential manner

This occurs as oxygen diffuses away from the tissues exponentially

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
25
Q

According to the Krogh model, how does pO2 differ at the arterial and venous ends of the capillary?

A

pO2 of cells at the venous end of the capillary will always be lower than pO2 of the cells at the arterial end of the capillary

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
26
Q

What is the ‘lethal corner’ in the Krogh model?

How is it clinically significant?

A

This is where the cells of a particular tissue cylinder have the lowest pO2

If there is a problem with oxygen delivery, these are the first cells to turn hypoxic

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
27
Q

What is the definition of ‘oxygen delivery’?

A

The amount of oxygen leaving the heart in one minute

DO2

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
28
Q

What is the equation used to calculate oxygen delivery?

A

DO2 = cardiac output x oxygen content of blood

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
29
Q

What makes up the oxygen content of the blood?

A

Amount of dissolved oxygen and the amount of oxygen being carried by haemoglobin

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
30
Q

What is the equation used to work out oxygen content of the blood?

What is normal oxygen content?

A

CO2 = (SO2 x [Hb] x 1.39) + 0.3

normal oxygen content is 19 ml/dl

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
31
Q

In the oxygen content of the blood equation, what is normal SO2 and [Hb]?

A

SO2 = 0.97
This means the blood is 97% saturated with oxygen

[Hb] = 14 g/dl

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
32
Q

When blood returns to the heart, what % of it is still oxygenated?

A

75%

33
Q

Why is cardiac output important in the DO2 equation?

A

Cardiac output determines the speed of blood flow and the amount of oxygen delivered to tissues

34
Q

In the oxygen delivery (DO2) equation, what are typical values for DO2, CO2 and CO?

A

DO2 = CO2 x CO

DO2 = 1000 ml/min
(oxygen delivery)

CO2 = 19 ml/dl
(oxygen content of blood)

CO = 5.25 L/min
(cardiac output)

35
Q

What is the definition of oxygen consumption?

A

The amount of oxygen used by the body in one minute (VO2)

36
Q

What is the basal metabolic rate and how is this related to oxygen consumption?

A

It is the minimum energy expenditure found in the body

This is oxygen consumption (VO2) at rest

37
Q

What is normal VO2 (oxygen consumption) at rest?

A

200 ml/min

38
Q

What are the values for BMR and VO2 when taking into account body size?

A

BMR is relative to body size so…

BMR = 45 W/m^2

VO2 = 4.8 ml/min/kg

39
Q

What is basal metabolic rate measured in and why?

A

BMR is measured per metre squared of body surface area

This is because larger people will have more tissues

40
Q

What is VO2 measured in?

Why is this not entirely accurate?

A

ml/min per kg of bodyweight

not entirely accurate as fat has a different oxygen concentration

41
Q

What are the 4 ways in which oxygen consumption may be measured?

A
  1. direct calorimetry
  2. indirect calorimetry
  3. arterio-venous CO2 (oxygen content of blood) difference
  4. inspired-expired O2 volume difference
42
Q

How is arterio-venous CO2 difference measured?

A

A sample of arterial and venous blood is taken

the oxygen concentration in each is measured

This allows you to see how much oxygen has been consumed by the tissues

43
Q

What is the drawback of measuring oxygen consumption through arterio-venous CO2 difference?

A

It is difficult to get a venous sample as different parts of the body are using different amounts of oxygen

A mixed blood sample from a pulmonary artery would be needed

44
Q

How is inspired-expired O2 volume difference performed?

A

The amount of oxygen inspired through a closed-system mask is measured

The amount that is expired is then measured

45
Q

How does calorimetry measure energy consumption?

A

By seeing how much heat is given off

All functions that require oxygen give off heat, so this shows baseline energy usage

46
Q

Which 3 factors affect oxygen consumption?

A
  1. age
  2. temperature
  3. exercise
47
Q

How does VO2 vary with age?

A

VO2 peaks at 2 years of age and then declines for the rest of life

48
Q

Why are older people more prone to hypothermia?

A

They have a lower basal metabolic rate

49
Q

Why do males and females have different metabolic rates?

A

There is a difference between the fat and muscle ratio in males and females

Fat has a low metabolic rate and muscle has a high metabolic rate

50
Q

How does temperature affect metabolism?

A

metabolism doubles (or halves) for every 10 degrees

51
Q

What is VO2 at rest?

How does this change with exercise and how is it measured?

A

VO2 at rest is 0.25 L/min

Oxygen consumption increases with intensity of exercise

It is measured in METs

52
Q

What are METs?

A

METs show how many multiples of resting oxygen consumption are being used

53
Q

If someone was using 10 METs whilst exercising, what would this mean?

A

They are using 10 times as much oxygen than they would be using at rest

54
Q

Why does anaemia of chronic diseases occur?

A

The bone marrow is not working as well as it should, so is not producing enough red blood cells

55
Q

How does the O2-Hb curve shift in anaemia and why?

A

It shifts to the right due to an increase in 2,3-DPG

This means Hb will give up its oxygen more easily to the tissues

56
Q

What physiological mechanism means that anaemia patients often look pale?

A

The autonomic nervous system reduces blood flow to non-essential organs

There is reduced blood flow to the skin

57
Q

How does the saturation of Hb in venous blood vary in anaemia patients and why?

A

There is increased oxygen extraction from the blood

Hb in venous blood falls to 50% saturation

58
Q

How does the heart modify its behaviour in response to anaemia?

A

Increased cardiac output to maintain oxygen delivery

59
Q

Why must cardiac output be doubled in anaemia patients?

A

Oxygen carrying capacity of the blood falls from 19ml to 8ml

doubling CO means the same amount of oxygen is reaching the tissues as a a healthy person

60
Q

What is the potential negative outcome of increasing cardiac output in anaemia patients?

A

Doubling CO puts a lot of extra strain on the heart

This can lead to ischaemic heart disease and angina

61
Q

How does partial pressure of oxygen vary with altitude?

A

pO2 decreases with increasing altitude

62
Q

How does oxygen saturation of Hb change with increasing altitude?

What is the critical value?

A

It decreases

It is incompatible with life if oxygen saturation falls below 60%

63
Q

How does [Hb] change with altitude?

What does this allow for?

A

At increasing altitudes, Hb concentration increases

This allows arterial oxygen content to remain reasonably normal

64
Q

What is the respiratory exchange ratio (RER)?

What is the name for the RER at rest?

A

It is the ratio of carbon dioxide production (VCO2) to oxygen consumption (VO2)

The RER at rest is the respiratory quotient

65
Q

What is the normal value for RER?

What 3 factors may affect this?

A

Normal value = 1

  1. acid-base balance
  2. hyperventilation
  3. metabolic fuel
66
Q

What is cardio-pulmonary exercise testing used for?

A

It is used in clinical medicine to get an objective measure of how often a patient exercises

67
Q

What graph is plotted from the results of cardio-pulmonary exercise testing?

A

VCO2 is plotted against VO2

68
Q

What does the gradient of the line in the cardio-pulmonary exercise test graph show?

A

A value for RER

69
Q

How would you identify the anaerobic threshold from the cardio-pulmonary exercise test graph?

A

It appears where the graph starts to curve

70
Q

What is the anaerobic threshold?

A

The pO2 at which the patient begins to respire anaerobically

Oxygen consumption does not change, but more CO2 begins to be produced

71
Q

When is cardio-pulmonary exercise testing used in practice?

A

To see how well a patient will respond to major surgery

It is a way of quantifying risk so that a patient can make an informed decision

72
Q

What are the 3 fundamental causes of cellular hypoxia?

A
  1. anoxic
  2. stagnant
  3. anaemic

all 3 causes can overlap in a Venn diagram type way

73
Q

What does anoxic mean in terms of hypoxia?

A

There is a lack of O2 in the blood, meaning insufficient oxygen is delivered to the cell

74
Q

What type of condition usually leads to anoxic conditions?

A

A lung problem such as respiratory failure

75
Q

What is meant by stagnant in terms of hypoxia?

A

There is a lack of blood flow to the tissue

76
Q

What conditions often cause stagnant hypoxia?

A

cardiac problems

e.g angina, heart failure, arrhythmia

77
Q

What is meant by anaemic in terms of hypoxia?

A

There is not enough haemoglobin in the blood, which reduces oxygen delivery

78
Q

Why do anaemic patients often experience their angina becoming worse?

A

The causes of hypoxia overlap - stagnant & anaemic