TYK184

Which of the following correctly represents the physiology of an AWAKE patient?

a) Ventilation is greatest in the non-dependent portions of the lung

b) Perfusion is greatest to the dependent portions of the lung

c) Hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction causes shunting of the blood to poor ventilated segments in the lung

d) Infants have decreased ribcage compliance and increased lung compliance when compared to adults

e) The majority of ventilation at rest is the result of accessory muscles of respiration

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Answer

Answer b.

Both ventilation and perfusion are greatest to the dependent portions of lung in the awake patient; this is due to the diaphragm movements (ventilation) and the effect of gravity (perfusion). Infants have decreased lung compliance and increased thoracic/ribcage compliance compared to adults. Finally, hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction, as described in the text above, shunts blood to the well-ventilated segments of lung.

Notes

This question originally printed in the Pediatric Anesthesiology Review Topics kindle book series, and appears courtesy of Naerthwyn Press, LLC.

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