RESPIRATORY MEASUREMENT

Normal Respiratory Rates

AGE
Newborn to 6 weeks
Infant (6 weeks to 6 months)
Toddler ( 1 to 3 years)
Young Children ( 3 to 6 years)
Older Children (10 to 14 years)
Adults

BREATHS/MIN
30 - 60
25 - 40
20 - 30
20 - 25
15 - 20
12 - 20

(Mosbys Critical Care Nursing Reference, 2002; Perry & Potter, 2006)

Gas transport in lungs

1. Pulmonary ventilation
- transport of gases to alveoli
2. Pulmonary diffusion
- factors determining gas transport across
the membrane

3. Perfusion

4. Ventilation/perfusion ratio

Pulmonary ventilation
1. Partial pressure

2. Lung volumes and capacities

3. Alveolar ventilation

4. Anatomical and functional death

space, effective ventilation

Partial pressure of the gas

- in determined by its concentration in the
mixture and by the overall pressure of the
gas mixture
PatmO2 = Patm * FO2
PatmO2 = 740 torr * 0,21
- in the liquid - partial pressure of the gas
component, which is balanced with the liquid

The partial pressure of a gas in a mixture is directly

related to its concentration. So since 0.04% of the gas
is CO2, its pressure will be 0.04% of the total pressure.
Convert 0.04% to its decimal equivalent by dividing 0.04
by 100, and then multiply that by 760 mmHg:

0.0004 X 760 = 0.304 mmHg is the partial pressure of

CO2.

O2 =21%
N2=78%

Lung volumes and capacities

tidal volume

expiratory reserve volume

residual volume
inspiratory reserve volume

Lung volumes and capacities

DEFINITION
Lung volumes and lung capacities refers to the
amount of air in the lungs during the different
phases of respiratory cycle.

Lung volumes and capacities

1. Lung volumes are directly measured.
2. Lung capacities are inferred from lung
volumes.

Lung volumes and capacities are measured

by SPIROMETER

Lung volumes and capacities

Lung volumes and capacities

Lung volumes
There are 4 lung volumes
They do not mixup with each other.
They can not be further divided
When added together equal total lung capacity

Lung volumes and capacities

Basic Lung Volumes
1. Tidal Volume: TV

The amount of gas inspired or expired

with each normal breath

Lung volumes and capacities

2.

Inspiratory Reserve Volume:

(IRV)
Maximum amount of additional air that can be
inspired from the end of a normal inspiration.

Lung volumes and capacities

3. Expiratory

Reserve Volume:

(ERV)
The maximum volume of additional air that can be
expired from the end of a normal expiration.

Lung volumes and capacities

4. Residual

Volume:

(RV)
The volume of air remaining in the lung after a
maximal expiration.
This is the only lung volume which cannot be
measured

Lung volumes and capacities

Factors affecting lung volumes

Several factors affect the lung volumes ,some important

are the following

Height of the person

Altitude at which person lives
Obesity

Lung volumes and capacities

Larger volumes
taller people
who live at higher altitudes
non obese
Smaller volumes
shorter people
people who live at lower altitudes
obese

Lung volumes and capacities

1. Total

Lung Capacity:

(TLC)
The volume of air contained in the lungs at the end
of a maximal inspiration.
Called a capacity because it is the sum of the 4 basic
lung volumes
TLC= RV+IRV+TV+ERV

Lung volumes and capacities

2. Vital

Capacity: VC

The maximum volume of air that can be

forcefully expelled from the lungs following
a maximal inspiration.
It is the sum of inspiratory reserve volume,
tidal volume and expiratory reserve volume.
VC= IRV+TV+ERV
= TLC - RV

Lung volumes and capacities

3. Functional Residual Capacity (FRC):

The volume of air remaining in the lung at

the end of a normal expiration.
FRC= RV+ERV

Lung volumes and capacities

4. Inspiratory Capacity (IC) :

Maximum volume of air that can be inspired

from end expiratory position.
IC= TV+IRV

Lung volumes and capacities

IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER
1.
2.
3.
4.

Tidal volume,
Expiratory reserve volume
Vital capacity,
Inspiratory capacity

can be measured directly with a SPIROMETER

These are the basic elements of a PULMONARY

FUNCTION TEST

Lung volumes and capacities

IMPORTANCE OF LUNG VOLUMES AND CAPACITIES

Clinically lung volumes and capacities are important

in diagnosis of various pulmonary problems but more
significant in diagnosis of obstructive and restrictive
diseases.

Lung volumes and capacities

OBSTRUCTIVE DISEASES
In obstructive diseases patient is unable to exhale all the air
out of lungs which results in INCREASED RESIDUAL VOLUME

Lung volumes and capacities

RESTRICTIVE LUNG DISEASES
In restrictive lung diseases patient is unable to take the
sufficient air into the lungs which results in DECREASE TOTAL
LUNG CAPACITY

Lung volumes and capacities

Spirometer - measurement of lung volumes

- measurement of the oxygen consumption

Measurement of residual volume and FRC

- helium equilibration method

C1 * V1
Uneven ventilation

C2 * (V1 + V2)
Inaccurate measurement

Measurement of functional residual capacity

- pletysmograph
Boyls law: P * V = const

P1* V1

P1* V1 = P1* (V1 - dV)

P2* V2 = P2* (V2 + dV)

P2* V2

V2 = FRC

Alveolar ventilation
ventilation of anatomic dead space
02

C02

inspiration

expiration

Alveolar ventilation. = (tidal volume - dead space) * respiratory rate.

Alveolar ventilation

Relationship between tidal volume,

frequency and effective ventilation
Minute
ventilation
ml/min

Tidal
volume
ml

Frekvency
c/s

Alveolar Ventilation
Ventilation Anat. dead
ml/min
space
ml/min

8000

250

32

3200

4800

40

8000

500

16

5600

2400

70

8000

1000

6800

1200

85

Why not to breathe with minimal frequency?

Work of breathing

Effective
ventilation
%

Physiologic dead space

ventilated but not perfused alveoli

Bohr
equation

VD
VT

PaCO2 - PECO2
PaCO2

VT
ventilation of anatomic dead space
VA

ventilation of physiologic dead space

VAeff

PECO2

PACO2

PaCO2

Uneven ventilation
The worst ventilation - apical parts

Summary
- lung volumes measurable by spirometer
(VT,IRV,ERV)
- RV, FRC - measurable by He, plethysmograph
- anatomic dead space
- effective ventilation and respiratory frequency,
work of breathing
- physiologic dead space,