Unit 1 - Respiratory Physiology Flashcards
(350 cards)
what is tidal volume?
the amount of gas that is inhaled and exhaled during a breath
where does Vt go when you take a breath?
- part goes to the respiratory zone, where gas exchange occurs
- remainer sits in conducting zone (dead space)
normal dead space in a healthy ~70 kg adult
~2 mL/kg or 150 mL
normal removal of gas with exhalation
- conducting zone gas removed first
- followed by exhalation of respiratory zone gas
consequence of any condition that increases dead space
makes it more difficult to eliminate expiratory gases from lungs
- widens PaCO2-EtCO2 gradient
- causes CO2 retention
what is ventilation rate
volume of air moved into and out of lungs in a given period of time
what is minute ventilation (VE)?
amount of air in a single breath (Vt) multiplied by RR
what is alveolar ventilation?
fraction of VE that is available for gas exchange
= (Vt - Vd) x RR
calculating VA in relation to PaCO2
= CO2 production / PaCO2
VA is directly proportional to:
CO2 production
- higher CO2 production stimulates body to breathe deeper and faster to eliminate more CO2
VA is inversely proportional to:
PaCO2
- faster and deeper breathing reduces PaCO2
How does Vd (dead space) affect the PaCO2-EtCO2 gradient?
any condition that increases dead space also increases the gradient
how does atropine affect the PaCO2-EtCO2 gradient
increases
- bronchodilator, so it increases anatomic dead space by increasing volume of the conducting zone
how does hypotension affect PaCo2-EtCO2 gradient
increases
- reduced pulmonary blood flow = increased alveolar dead space
how does PPV affect PaCO2-EtCO2 gradient?
increases
- increases alveolar pressure, which increases ventilation relative to perfusion (dead space increases)
examples of decreased dead space
reduced by anything that reduces the volume of the conducting zone or increases pulmonary blood flow
- ETT
- LMA
- neck flexion
what is anatomic dead space?
air confined to conducting airways
nose & mouth to terminal bronchioles
what is alveolar dead space?
examples?
alveoli that are ventilated but not perfused
decreased pulmonary blood flow
what is physiologic dead space?
anatomic Vd + alveolar Vd
what is apparatus dead space?
examples?
Vd added by equipment
facemask, HME
what is the dead space to tidal volume ratio (Vd/Vt)
fraction of Vt that contributes to dead space
Vd to Vt ratio in spontaneously ventilating 70 kg pt
Vd/Vt = 150 mL/450 mL = 0.33
why does mechanical ventilation increase the Vd/Vt ratio to 0.5 (50%)?
mechanical ventilation increases alveolar pressure, which increases ventilation relative to perfusion
most common cause of increased Vd/Vt under GA
reduced CO
r/o hypotension with acute EtCO2 decrease before considering other causes of increased dead space