RESPIRATION
DURING EXERCISE
Zar afsha Noor
DPT 3rd semester
VENTILATORY AND BLOOD –GAS
RESPONSES TO EXERCISE
Rest-to-work transitions:
.At exercise onset: Rapid increase in ventilation to meet oxygen
demands.
. Pulmonary ventilation ( expired ventilation )increases at beginning of
exercise , followed by a slower rise toward a steady state level within 1 – 2 min.
.Arterial pressure of PCO2 and PO2 are relatively unchanged.
. Arterial PO2 decreases and PCO2 increases during transition phase .
Changes in ventilation and partial pressure of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the transition from
rest to steady state submaximal exercise
Prolonged Exercise in a hot environment:
.In prolonged exercise ventilation may drift upward despite constant workload.
Causes : Increase in body temp and possible increase in catecholamines.
. Effect : Increase in breathing frequency and dead space ventilation .
. Ventilation is greater in hot environment when compared to work in cool environment,there is a little
difference in Arterial PCO2 between the two types of exercise.
Incremental exercise:
.VE increases linearly with work rate up to 50 % to 75 % of VO2 max.
.Above this point exponential rise called ventilatory threshold.
. Difference between highly trained elite athlete and the untrained subject arterial PO2 during heavy
exercise .
Untrained subject is able to maintain arterial PO2 within 10 to 12 mmHg of the normal resting value.
Trained runner shows a decrease of 30 to 40 mmHg at near maximal exercise.
Exercise induced hypoxemia:
. In 40 to 50 % Elite atheletes develop low arterial PO2 values ( low Po2 is called hypoxemia) during
heavy exercise.
Causes:
. Ventilation- perfusion mismatch
. Diffusion limitations due to short RBC tansit time in capillaries.
. . More frequent in females , possibly due to smaller airways size limiting maximal airflow.
CONTROL OF VENTILATION:
Ventilatory regulation at rest:
.Inspiration and expiration are produced by the contraction and
relaxation of diaphragm.
. Breathing is controlled by medulla oblongata and pons.
key centers :
. PreBotzinger Complex : main rhythm generator
. Pneumotaxic center and caudal pons : Modify and fine tune ryhthum.
. At rest breathing rhythm is maintained by pacemaker neurons
Input to respiratory control center:
. Respiratory control Center receives input from both higher brain centers and afferent neural signals
from several locations outside of CNS .
.Input to the respiratory control center can be classified into two types:
1. Neural input :
Refers to signals from higher brain centers and mechanoreceptors..
[Link] input:
Refers to influence of bood borne stimuli reaching a specialized chemoreceptors.
. Both sources act together for rapid and precise ventilation control.
Humoral chemoreceptors:
Chemoreceptors are specialized neurons that are capable of responding to changes in the internal
environment.
[Link] chemoreceptors:
. Located in medulla oblongata
. Sensitive to changes in PCO2 and H of the CSF.
2. Peripheral chemoreceptors:
. Located in aortic arch and at the bifurcation of common carotid artery .
. The receptors are located in aorta are called aortic bodies and those found in carotid artery are carotid bodies.
. Aortic bodies respond to increase in PCO2 ,pH.
. Carotid bodies respond to increase in blood potassium levels ,norepinehrine ,body temp and decrease in aretrial
PO( hypoxic threshold) .
[Link] input pathways :
. Motor cortex: Send parallel signals to mucles and respiratory centers.
. Mechanoreceptors:Detect movements , tension, pressure in muscles and joints.
.Adjust ventilation according to muscles activity.
[Link] mechanoreceptors :
. Also called muscles metaboreceptors .
.Detect pH and increased potassium in active muscles fibres.
Receptors Stimulus. Why they are imp
[Link] Increase in arterial PCO2 Increase ventilation to remove
CO2 and restore normal pH.
[Link] body Increase PCO2 Detect hypoxia ,CO2 buildup
Decrease pH ,PO2 Acidosis and stimulate breathing.
[Link] body Increase PCO2 Monitor blood CO2 , acidity and
Decrease pH adjust ventilation.
[Link] mechanoreceptors Increase in muscles contractile activity Signal respiratory centers as soon
muscles start working cause rapid
increase in ventilation.
[Link] chemoreceptors Increase potassium Detect metabolic by – products in
Decrease pH Muscles and stimulate ventilation.
Ventilation control during
submaximal exercise:
.Initial drive from central command .
.Fine tuning from peripheral
chemoreceptors and muscles feedback.
Ventilatory control during heavy exercise:
• Above lactate threshold :Nonlinear VE
increases
• Causes:
• Increase in blood potassium levels
• Rising in body temperature
• Elevated blood catecholamines
• Afferent neural influencs
• Contribute to ventilatory control during
heavy exerciss
