Appendix

I. Symbols Used in Respiratory Physiology

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Partial pressure of a gas (mm Hg)

Volume of a gas (mL)

Flow of gas (mL/min, L/s)

Volume of blood (mL)

Blood flow (mL/min)

Fractional concentration of a gas

Content or concentration of a substance in the blood (milliliters per 100 mL of blood)

Saturation in the blood (%)

Inspired

Expired

Mixed expired

Alveolar

Tidal

Dead space

Arterial

Venous

Mixed venous

Capillary

c′

End capillary

II. The Laws Governing the Behavior of Gases

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1. Avogadro's hypothesis Equal volumes of different gases at equal temperatures contain the same number of molecules. Similarly, equal numbers of molecules in identical volumes and at the same temperature will exert the same pressure. (One mole of any gas will contain 6.02 × 1023 molecules and will occupy a volume of 22.4 L at a temperature of 0°C and a pressure of 760 mm Hg.)

2. Dalton's law In a gas mixture the pressure exerted by each individual gas in a space is independent of the pressures of other gases in the mixture, for example,

3. Boyle's law

P1V1 = P2V2 (at constant temperature)

4. Charles' law or Gay Lussac's law

5. Ideal gas law

PV = nRT

6. Henry's law The weight of a gas absorbed by a liquid with which it does not combine chemically is directly proportional to the pressure of the gas to which the liquid is exposed (and its solubility in the liquid).

7. Graham's law The rate of diffusion of a gas (in the gas phase) is inversely proportional to the square root of its molecular weight.

8. Fick's law of diffusion

III. Frequently Used Equations

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1. The alveolar air equation:

2. The Bohr equation:

3. Components of alveolar pressure:

4. The diffusing capacity equation:

5. The Fick equation:

6. The Henderson-Hasselbalch equation:

7. Oxygen-carrying capacity of hemoglobin:

1.34 mL O2/g Hb

8. The shunt equation:

9. Solubility of oxygen in plasma:

0.003 mL O2/100 mL blood/mm Hg

IV. Table of Normal Respiratory and Circulatory Values

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Term Newborn

1 Year

8 Years

Adult

Breaths/min

Tidal volume (mL/kg)

Dead space (mL/kg)

2.8

Alveolar ventilation (mL/kg)

130

120

Vital capacity (mL/kg)

Functional residual capacity (mL/kg)

Heart rate/min

133 ± 18

120 ± 2

85 ± 10

75 ± 5

Cardiac index (L/min/m2)

2.5 ± 0.6

4.0 ± 1.0

3.7 ± 0.3

Systolic blood pressure (mm Hg)*

73 ± 8

96 ± 30

100 ± 15

122 ± 30

Diastolic blood pressure (mm Hg)

50 ± 8

66 ± 25

56 ± 9

75 ± 20

Oxygen consumption (mL/kg/min)

6.0 ± 1.0

5.2 ± 1.0

4.9 ± 0.9

3.4 ± 0.6

*The lower limit for normal systolic blood pressure can be approximated by the formula 70 + (2 × age in years) for pediatric patients; the lower limit for normal systolic blood pressure for term newborns is 60 mm Hg. (Reproduced with permission from Levitzky MG, Hall SM, McDonough KH. Cardiopulmonary Physiology in Anesthesiology. New York: McGraw-Hill; 1997.)

V. General Suggested Readings

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Fishman AP, Elias JA, Fishman JA, Grippi MA, Senior RM, Pack AI, eds. Fishman's Pulmonary Diseases and Disorders. 4th ed. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill; 2008.

Fishman AP, ed. Handbook of Physiology, section 3: The Respiratory System, Bethesda, Md: American Physiological Society.

Fishman AP, Fisher AB, eds. Volume I: Circulation and Nonrespiratory Functions. Bethesda, Md: American Physiological Society; 1985.

Cherniack NS, Widdicombe JG, eds. Volume II: Control of Breathing, Parts 1 and 2. Bethesda, Md: American Physiological Society; 1986.

Macklem PT, Mead J, eds. Volume III: Mechanics of Breathing, Parts 1 and 2. Bethesda, Md: American Physiological Society; 1986.

Farhi LE, Tenney SM, eds. Volume IV: Gas Exchange. Bethesda, Md: American Physiological Society; 1987.

Mason RJ, Broaddus VC, Martin TR, et al, eds. Murray & Nadel's Textbook of Respiratory Medicine. 5th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: WB Saunders and Company; 2010.

Lumb AB. Nunn's Applied Respiratory Physiology. 7th ed. London, Churchill Livingstone; 2011.

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I. Symbols Used in Respiratory Physiology

II. The Laws Governing the Behavior of Gases

III. Frequently Used Equations

IV. Table of Normal Respiratory and Circulatory Values

V. General Suggested Readings

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