Respiratory Physiology Equations

Gas Velocity:

F V = velocity
V = ----- F = flow
A A = cross-sectional area

Fick’s Law of Diffusion:

(A)(1/(MW).05)(S)(P)
F = gas flow
S = solubility
F= ------------------------------- A = area
P = driving pressure
T
MW = molecular
weight T = membrane
thickness

Compliance (the “give” of the lung):

V C=
compliance
C = ------ V=
volume
P P = pressure

Specific compliance:

C C = compliance
S = --------- S = specific compliance
TLC TLC = total lung compliance

Elastance (the “stiffness” of the lung):

1 E = elastance
E = ------ C = compliance
C

Laplace’s Equation:

2T P = pressure
P = --------- T = tension
R R = radius
Ohm’s Law:

P R = resistance
R = ------- P = change in pressure
F F = flow
Respiratory system resistance:

RRS = respiratory system resistance

RRS = RL + RCW RL = lung resistance
RCW = chest wall resistance

Pulmonary resistance:

RL = lung resistance
RL = Rair + Rtis Rair = airway resistance
Rtis = tissue resistance

Laminar resistance:

8l R = resistance  = viscosity

R = -------- r = radius l = tube length
r4

Turbulent resistance:

2rvd Re = Reynold’s number (over 2000 = turbulent flow)

Re = --------- r = radius d = density
 v = velocity  = viscosity

Transitional resistance:

R = resistance K1 = laminar resistance constant

R = K1 +K2F F = flow K2 = turbulent resistance constant

Specific resistance:

SR = specific resistance
SR = (R)(LV) R = resistance
LV = lung volume

Conductance (ability to flow through the airways):

1 C = conductance
C = ----- R = resistance
R

Specific conductance:

C SC = specific conductance
SC = ------ C = conductance
LV LV = lung volume
Respiratory pressures:

Ptot = total pressure F = flow

Ptot = (V)(E) + (F)(R) V = volume R = resistance
E = elastance

Minute ventilation:

MV = minute ventilation
MV = (RR)(TV) RR = respiratory rate
TV = tidal volume

Ideal gas law:

P = pressure R = ideal gas constant

PV = nRT V = volume T = temperature
n = moles of gas

Henry’s Law:

C = content
C = (S)(PP) S = solubility
PP = partial pressure

Oxygen uptake:

V’O2 = oxygen uptake/min

V’I = inspired minute ventilation
V’O2 = (V’I)(FIO2) – (V’E)(FEO2) FIO2 = [O2] in inspired air
V’E = expired minute ventilation
FEO2 = [O2] in expired air

Carbon dioxide elimination:

V’CO2 = carbon dioxide eliminated/min

V’CO2 = (V’E)(FECO2) V’E = expired minute ventilation
FECO2 = [CO2] in expired air
Respiratory quotient:

CO2made R = respiratory quotient

R = ------------- CO2made = CO2 production
O2taken O2taken = O2 consumption

Respiratory exchange ratio:

V’CO2 R = respiratory exchange ratio

R = ------------ V’CO2 = CO2 output
V’O2 V’O2 = O2 uptake

Physiologic dead space (in a tidal volume):

VT = tidal volume
VT = VA + VD VA = alveolar volume
VD = physiologic dead space

Physiologic dead space (Bohr method):

PaCO2 – PECO2 VD = physiologic dead space

VD = VT ----------------------- VT = tidal volume
PaCO2 PaCO2 = partial arterial pressure of CO2
PECO2 = partial expired pressure of CO2

Alveolar gas equation:

PAO2 = alveolar partial pressure of O2

PAO2 = FIO2 (BP – WVP) – (PaCO2/R)
FIO2 = [O2] in inspired air
PaCO2 = arterial partial pressure of CO2
R = respiratory quotient
BP = barometric pressure (normally 760 mmHg)
WVP = water vapor pressure (normally 47 mmHg)

Diffusion rate:

1 R = diffusion rate
R  -----  = density
0.5

Diffusion capacity:

F DL = diffusion capacity
DL = ------- F = flow
P P = pressure change
Diffusion capacity using CO:

V’CO DLCO = diffusion capacity

DLCO = ----------- V’CO = flow of CO
PACO PACO = partial alveolar pressure of CO

Diffusion capacity components:

1 1 1 DL = diffusion capacity
------ = --------- + ------------ DM = membrane resistance to diffusion
DL DM ()(VC)  = reaction rate of uptake of diffused substance
VC = volume of capillary blood

Starling equation:

F = K[(Pc-Pi) – (c-i)]
F = fluid flow
K = filtration coefficient
Pc = capillary hydrostatic pressure
Pi = interstitial hydrostatic pressure
 = reflection coefficient
 c = capillary oncotic pressure
 i = interstitial oncotic pressure

Ventilation/perfusion matching:

V’ = ventilation
Q’ = perfusion
V’ PAO2 – PVO2 R = respiratory exchange ratio
---- = R --------------------- PAO2 = alveolar pressure of oxygen
Q’ PACO2 PVO2 = mixed venous pressure of oxygen
PACO2 = alveolar pressure of carbon dioxide

Shunt equation:

CcO2 – CaO2 %S = shunt fraction

%S = ------------------- CcO2 = pulmonary capillary oxygen content
CcO2 – CvO2 CaO2 = systemic arterial oxygen content
CvO2 = mixed venous oxygen content