Topics
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3. Lung Volumes and FRC
Lung volumes and capacities Lung volumes refer to the volume of gas within the lungs at different times during the inspiratory cycle. Normal tidal breathing, which is the respiratory pattern when at rest, has a volume (tidal volume) of around 500ml, including both inspiration and expiration. At end inspiration on tidal breathing, we still have…
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2. Mechanics of Breathing
Subheadings:– Lung pressures– Compliance – Resistance – The act of breathing Lung Pressures What stops the lungs just collapsing down? What keeps them open? The answer is a dynamic, constant tension of outward and inward forces, resulting in an equilibrium that keeps the lungs open. The main equation that explains how lungs remain open is:…
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1. Respiratory Physiology Introduction
Brief note:I spent last year working with anaesthetic and critical care colleagues as part of my Emergency Medicine training. During this time, I gained a new appreciation for the application of physiology to clinical practice, and the usefulness of first-principles learning, for example, in altering ventilation settings in critically unwell patients. One particular anaesthetic consultant…