Question Answer
What is the term 'partial pressure' used to That atmospheric air is a mix of several different gases.
recognize?
What is the total pressure exerted by gas mixtures The sum of partial pressures of each of the individual components (Dalton's law).
equal to?
What is the composition of atmospheric air? 78.09% N2, 20.95% O2, 0.93% argon (Ar), 0.03% CO2, and trace amounts of various other
inert gases and pollutants.
What happens to air composition during inspiration The fractional composition of the other gases is reduced correspondingly due to addition of
and by the time it reaches alveoli? water vapor, making air saturated with 6.18% water.
How is the partial pressure of O2 at the alveolar By multiplying atmospheric pressure (760 mm Hg) and fractional composition (19.7%): PAO2 =
membrane (PAO2) calculated? 760 * 0.197 = 150 mm Hg.
What is the partial pressure of CO2 (PACO2) and The partial pressure of CO2 (PACO2) is 0.21 mm Hg and it is usually rounded down to 0 mm
why is it usually rounded down to 0 mm Hg? Hg because it is negligible in physiologic terms.
What does alveolar ventilation bring to the Atmospheric air.
blood-gas interface?
What does the Henry law state about the amount of The amount of O2 and CO2 that dissolve in blood is proportional to their partial pressures and
O2 and CO2 that dissolve in blood? their solubility in blood.
What do partial pressures reflect? The amount of free gas dissolved in fluid.
What does the pulmonary circulation receive? 100% of cardiac output.
What is the resistance of the pulmonary circulation? 2–3 mm Hg/L/min, or about fivefold less than the systemic circulation.
What is the average length of pulmonary capillaries? 0.75 mm.
How does lung inflation affect alveolar perfusion During inspiration, lung inflation causes alveoli and embedded pulmonary supply vessels to
rates? expand, leading to a fall in pulmonary vascular resistance and an increase in flow.
What are the three zones of perfusion in the lung? Zone 1, Zone 2, and Zone 3.
In which zone does arterial pressure exceed Zone 2.
alveolar pressure, allowing flow to begin?
What happens in Zone 1 of perfusion in the lung? Alveolar pressure exceeds perfusion pressure, leading to capillary collapse and prevention of
flow.
What is the characteristic of flow in Zone 3 of Flow is maximal and capillaries are dilated fully.
perfusion in the lung?
How does gravity affect the perfusion pressures in Gravity enhances perfusion pressures, causing arterial pressure to exceed venous pressure
the lung base (Zone 3)? and alveolar pressure.
What force controls pulmonary resistance vessels P A O 2 (partial pressure of oxygen in alveoli).
and PVR?
What is the purpose of hypoxic vasoconstriction in It steers blood away from poorly ventilated areas to well-ventilated regions, optimizing gas
the pulmonary circulation? exchange.
What is venous admixture in the context of The mixing of deoxygenated and oxygenated blood prior to leaving the pulmonary circulation.
pulmonary circulation?
What are the two main causes of entering the Shunts and low ventilation/perfusion (V·A/Q·) ratios.
systemic arterial system?
What are the two types of shunts mentioned and Anatomic shunts and physiologic shunts. An example of an anatomic shunt is an atrial septal
their examples? defect. Physiologic shunting occurs in atelectasis or pneumonia.
What is the V·A/Q· ratio at rest in the pulmonary Approximately 0.8.
circulation?
What happens if an airway is obstructed? The V·A/Q· ratio drops to zero, and alveolar gas equilibrates with mixed venous blood at
specific partial pressures.
How does airway obstruction affect gas exchange In the absence of ventilation, alveolar gas equilibrates with mixed venous blood at specific
between air and blood? partial pressures.
What is the main function of alveolar ventilation? To bring outside air into close proximity to blood for gas exchange.
Question Answer
How do changes in ventilation or perfusion affect Changes in either ventilation or perfusion will affect the partial pressures of gases in the blood.
partial pressures of gases in the blood?
What is a physiologic shunt in relation to gas It occurs when blood that bypasses the lungs without participating in gas exchange mixes with
exchange? blood that has participated in gas exchange.
How does blood flow obstruction affect the V · A /Q · If blood flow is obstructed, the V · A /Q · ratio approaches infinity as there is no blood contact
ratio? with alveolar gas composition.
What is the main effect of gravity on alveoli Gravity significantly affects the ventilation and perfusion, creating a broad spectrum of V · A /Q
ventilation and perfusion in an upright lung? · ratios in an upright lung.
Describe Zone 1 in terms of its V · A /Q · ratio and Alveoli at the lung apex have the highest ratio, ventilate poorly, and have minimal perfusion
alveolar function. due to compressed vasculature. Blood exiting this region approaches the composition of
inspired air.
What characterizes Zone 2 in terms of its V · A /Q · In Zone 2, ventilation improves slowly with decreasing lung height, while perfusion increases
ratio and alveolar function? more steeply, causing the ratio to fall rapidly toward the base.
Explain Zone 3 in terms of its V · A /Q · ratio and Alveoli at the lung base are compressed at rest, ventilate very well upon inspiration, and have
alveolar function. very high pulmonary perfusion pressures resulting in maximal flow rates.
What is the major determinant of the systemic The heavily perfused regions at the base.
arterial blood content?
What is a potential consequence of blood flow A local V · A /Q · mismatch.
exceeding the ventilatory capacity in the lung base?
What is the approximate PO2 of the blood leaving Around 88 mm Hg.
the heavily perfused lung base?
What is the effect on PCO2 of the blood leaving the It is higher by about 2 mm Hg.
heavily perfused lung base?
What can cause severe physiologic shunting due to Obstruction of an airway, such as by aspiration of a foreign body, tumor growth, or during an
V · A /Q · mismatch? asthma exacerbation.
How is the V · A /Q · ratio clinically visualized? Using radioactive tracers.
What is the alveolar–arterial difference for O2 A–aDO2.
known as?
What values ideally should be the same when The alveolar gas and blood PO2 values.
comparing PO2 in alveoli with that of systemic
arterial blood?
What does 'R' represent in the context of gas The ratio of CO2 produced to O2 consumed by internal respiration.
exchange?
What can be measured by arterial blood gas P a O2 (partial pressure of oxygen in arterial blood).
analysis?
How can the A-a gradient be predicted for a healthy As 2.5 + (0.21 * age in years).
individual?
What factors determine the rate at which gases Pressure difference, surface area available for exchange, and barrier thickness.
diffuse across the blood-gas interface?
What does the diffusion coefficient take into The molecular weight and solubility of a gas.
account?
What does the lung's diffusing capacity (DL) for gas The constant that takes into account surface area, thickness, and the diffusion coefficient.
describe?
How is gas flow across the barrier estimated? By the equation V · = P * A * DL.
What maintains steep partial pressure gradients Ventilation and perfusion.
across the blood-gas interface?
What indicates diffusion-limited gas exchange? When exchange is limited by the rate at which O2 diffuses across the blood-gas interface.
