Breathing pattern in humans: elevated CO2 or low O2 on positive airway pressure

1984 ◽  
Vol 56 (3) ◽  
pp. 777-784 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. A. Hirsch ◽  
B. Bishop

The purpose of this study was to determine effects on breathing pattern of pressure breathing alone and in combination with chemical stimulation. We analyzed ventilatory responses to elevated airway pressures (positive-pressure breathing, PPB) in subjects breathing air, 12% O2, or elevated CO2. Each subject sat in a body box and breathed via mouth-piece from a bag-in-box. Responses to PPB on air were increased minute ventilation (VI), tidal volume (VT), frequency (f), mean inspiratory (VT/TI) and expiratory (VT/TE) flows, decreased expiratory duration (TE) and end-tidal CO2. If end-tidal CO2 were held constant, VI, VT, and VT/TI increased less. Responses greater than predicted from summing responses to either stimulus alone were observed for VT, f, VT/TI, and VT/TE during 3 and 5% CO2 and for VT, f, and VT/TE during isocapnic hypoxia. Responses to other combined stimuli were sums of responses to the individual stimuli. Thus ventilatory responses to combined PPB and chemical stimuli cannot be predicted simply from summating responses to each independently imposed stimulus, suggesting that sensory information arises from and is integrated at multiple sites.

1995 ◽  
Vol 78 (2) ◽  
pp. 555-561 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. A. Sidney ◽  
C. S. Poon

To investigate how breathing is controlled during CO2 stimulation, steady-state ventilatory responses to rebreathing through a tube (DS) and inspiring a fixed PCO2 (INH) were compared in healthy human subjects. Tests were performed in hyperoxia with (IRL) and without (NL) an inspiratory resistive load (15 cmH2O.l–1.s at 1 l/s). The mean slope of the minute ventilation (VE)-end-tidal PCO2 relationship was significantly higher in DS-IRL than in INH-IRL [1.86 +/- 0.67 (SD) vs. 1.40 +/- 0.32 l.min-1.Torr-1, P < 0.01], and it was significantly different between INH-NL and INH-IRL (1.64 +/- 0.41 vs. 1.40 +/- 0.32 l.min-1.Torr-1, P < 0.05) but not between DS-NL and DS-IRL (1.85 +/- 0.72 vs. 1.86 +/- 0.67 l.min-1.Torr-1). The slope of the VE-tidal volume relationship was significantly lower in DS-NL than in INH-NL (19.6 +/- 3.8 vs. 21.2 +/- 5.1 min-1, P < 0.05), but other comparisons in breathing pattern between NL and IRL and between DS and INH failed to reach significance. We concluded that 1) alterations in alveolar PCO2 temporal profile by DS could induce changes in VE-end-tidal PCO2 sensitivity and ventilatory pattern, 2) these changes may be modified by increased mechanical impairment resulting from IRL, and 3) carotid chemoreceptor mediation is not necessary for the observed effects of DS.


1995 ◽  
Vol 79 (1) ◽  
pp. 205-213 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. J. Morgan ◽  
D. C. Crabtree ◽  
M. Palta ◽  
J. B. Skatrud

We studied ventilatory and neurocirculatory responses to combined hypoxia (arterial O2 saturation 80%) and hypercapnia (end-tidal CO2 + 5 Torr) in awake humans. This asphyxic stimulus produced a substantial increase in minute ventilation (6.9 +/- 0.4 to 20.0 +/- 1.5 l/min) that promptly subsided on return to room air breathing. During asphyxia, muscle sympathetic nerve activity (intraneural microelectrodes) increased to 220 +/- 28% of the room air baseline. Approximately two-thirds of this sympathetic activation persisted after return to room air breathing for the duration of our measurements (20 min in 8 subjects, 1 h in 2 subjects). In contrast, neither ventilation nor sympathetic outflow changed during time control experiments. A 20-min exposure to hyperoxic hypercapnia also caused a sustained increase in sympathetic activity, but, unlike the aftereffect of asphyxia, this effect was short lived and coincident with continued hyperpnea. In summary, relatively brief periods of asphyxic stimulation cause substantial increases in sympathetic vasomotor outflow that outlast the chemical stimuli. These findings provide a potential explanation for the chronically elevated sympathetic nervous system activity that accompanies sleep apnea syndrome.


1978 ◽  
Vol 45 (4) ◽  
pp. 495-501 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. Bishop ◽  
J. Hirsch ◽  
M. Thursby

This study is a breath-by-breath analysis of the effects of 5, 10, and 15 cmH2O positive-pressure breathing (PPB) on man's steady-state breathing pattern. Inspiratory (TI), expiratory (TE), and cycle (TT) durations, tidal volumes (VT), minute ventilation (VE), mean inspiratory flow rate (VT/TI), and mean expiratory flow rate (VT/TE) were determined from pneumotachograph and Wedge spirometer recordings before and during steady states on PPB. End-tidal CO2 was continuously recorded. Seventeen adults, seated in a full body-box, breathed quietly for 8 min through a mouthpiece on a bag-in-box. Pressure in the body-box was lowered to the desired level prior to 4 min of stress. On all pressure levels, end-expiratory volume, VT, VE, VT/TI, and VT/TE increased; end-tidal CO2, TE, and TT decreased with no consistent change in TI. Calculated alveolar ventilations indicated that the increases in VE were true hyperventilations. Each individual increased VE by using a unique combination of VT, TI, and TE. End-expiratory volume increased less and expiratory flow increased more than would occur passively. Hence, it is concluded that active reflexes account for the resistance of the systems to the passive distention, the facilitation of expiratory flow, and the shortening of TE.


1996 ◽  
Vol 80 (5) ◽  
pp. 1724-1730 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. Insalaco ◽  
S. Romano ◽  
A. Salvaggio ◽  
A. Braghiroli ◽  
P. Lanfranchi ◽  
...  

To assess the effect of chronic hypoxic conditions on ventilatory, heart rate (HR), and blood pressure (BP) responses to acute progressive isocapnic hypoxia, we studied five healthy Caucasian subjects (3 men and 2 women). Each subject performed one rebreathing test at sea level (SL) and two tests at the Pyramid laboratory at Lobuche, Nepal, at the altitude of 5,050 m, 1 day after arrival (HA1) and after 24 days of sojourn (HA2). The effects of progressive isocapnic hypoxia were tested by using a standard rebreathing technique. BP, electrocardiogram, arterial oxygen saturation, airflow and end-tidal CO2 and O2 were recorded. For each subject, the relationships between arterial oxygen saturation and HR, systolic BP and minute ventilation (VE), respectively, were evaluated. At HA1, the majority of subjects showed a significant increase in VE and BP response and a decrease in HR response to progressive isocapnic hypoxia as compared to SL. At HA2, VE and BP responses further increased, whereas the HR response remained similar to that observed at HA1. A significant relationship between hypoxic ventilatory responses and both systolic and diastolic BP responses to progressive hypoxia was found. No significant correlation was found between hypoxic ventilatory and HR responses.


1990 ◽  
Vol 68 (3) ◽  
pp. 1195-1202 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. S. Badr ◽  
J. B. Skatrud ◽  
J. A. Dempsey ◽  
R. L. Begle

We investigated the effect of acute and sustained inspiratory resistive loading (IRL) on the activity of expiratory abdominal muscles (EMGab) and the diaphragm (EMGdi) and on ventilation during wakefulness and non-rapid-eye-movement (NREM) sleep in healthy subjects. EMGdi and EMGab were measured with esophageal and transcutaneous electrodes, respectively. During wakefulness, EMGdi increased in response to acute loading (18 cmH2O.l-1.s) (+23%); this was accompanied by preservation of tidal volume (VT) and minute ventilation (VE). During NREM sleep, no augmentation was noted in EMGdi or EMGab. Inspiratory time (TI) was prolonged (+5%), but this was not sufficient to prevent a decrease in both VT and VE (-21 and -20%, respectively). During sustained loading (12 cmH2O.l-1 s) in NREM sleep, control breaths (C) were compared with the steady-state loaded breaths (SS) defined by breaths 41-50. Steady-state IRL was associated with augmentation of EMGdi (12%) and EMGab (50%). VT returned to control levels, expiratory time shortened, and breathing frequency increased. The net result was the increase in VE above control levels (+5%, P less than 0.01). No change was noted in end-tidal CO2 or O2. We concluded that 1) wakefulness is a prerequisite for immediate load compensation (in its absence, TI prolongation is the only compensatory response) and 2) during sustained IRL, the augmentation of EMGdi and EMGab can lead to complete ventilatory recovery without measurable changes in chemical stimuli.


1983 ◽  
Vol 54 (4) ◽  
pp. 874-879 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. P. White ◽  
N. J. Douglas ◽  
C. K. Pickett ◽  
J. V. Weil ◽  
C. W. Zwillich

Previous investigation has demonstrated that progesterone, a hormone found in premenopausal women, is a ventilatory stimulant. However, fragmentary data suggest that normal women may have lower ventilatory responses to chemical stimuli than men, in whom progesterone is found at low levels. As male-female differences have not been carefully studied, we undertook a systematic comparison of resting ventilation and ventilatory responses to chemical stimuli in men and women. Resting ventilation was found to correlate closely with CO2 production in all subjects (r = 0.71, P less than 0.001), but women tended to have a greater minute ventilation per milliliter of CO2 produced (P less than 0.05) and consequently a lower CO2 partial pressure (PCO2) (men 35.1 +/- 0.5 Torr, women 33.2 +/- 0.5 Torr; P less than 0.02). Women were also found to have lower tidal volumes, even when corrected from body surface area (BSA), and greater respiratory frequency than comparable males. The hypoxic ventilatory response (HVR) quantitated by the shape parameter A was significantly greater in men [167 +/- 22 (SE)] than in women (109 +/- 13; P less than 0.05). In men this hypoxic response was found to correlate closely with O2 consumption (r = 0.75, P less than 0.001) but with no measure of size or metabolic rate in women. The hypercapnic ventilatory response, expressed as the slope of ventilation vs. PCO2, was also greater in men (2.30 +/- 0.23) than in women (1.58 +/- 0.19, P less than 0.05). Finally women tended to have higher ventilatory responses in the luteal than in the follicular menstrual phase, but this was significant only for HVR (P less than 0.05). Women, with relatively higher resting ventilation, have lower responses to hypoxia and hypercapnia.


2004 ◽  
Vol 97 (5) ◽  
pp. 1673-1680 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chris Morelli ◽  
M. Safwan Badr ◽  
Jason H. Mateika

We hypothesized that the acute ventilatory response to carbon dioxide in the presence of low and high levels of oxygen would increase to a greater extent in men compared with women after exposure to episodic hypoxia. Eleven healthy men and women of similar race, age, and body mass index completed a series of rebreathing trials before and after exposure to eight 4-min episodes of hypoxia. During the rebreathing trials, subjects initially hyperventilated to reduce the end-tidal partial pressure of carbon dioxide (PetCO2) below 25 Torr. Subjects then rebreathed from a bag containing a normocapnic (42 Torr), low (50 Torr), or high oxygen gas mixture (150 Torr). During the trials, PetCO2 increased while the selected level of oxygen was maintained. The point at which minute ventilation began to rise in a linear fashion as PetCO2 increased was considered to be the carbon dioxide set point. The ventilatory response below and above this point was determined. The results showed that the ventilatory response to carbon dioxide above the set point was increased in men compared with women before exposure to episodic hypoxia, independent of the oxygen level that was maintained during the rebreathing trials (50 Torr: men, 5.19 ± 0.82 vs. women, 4.70 ± 0.77 l·min−1·Torr−1; 150 Torr: men, 4.33 ± 1.15 vs. women, 3.21 ± 0.58 l·min−1·Torr−1). Moreover, relative to baseline measures, the ventilatory response to carbon dioxide in the presence of low and high oxygen levels increased to a greater extent in men compared with women after exposure to episodic hypoxia (50 Torr: men, 9.52 ± 1.40 vs. women, 5.97 ± 0.71 l·min−1·Torr−1; 150 Torr: men, 5.73 ± 0.81 vs. women, 3.83 ± 0.56 l·min−1·Torr−1). Thus we conclude that enhancement of the acute ventilatory response to carbon dioxide after episodic hypoxia is sex dependent.


1988 ◽  
Vol 64 (5) ◽  
pp. 1844-1850 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. R. Schertel ◽  
D. A. Schneider ◽  
L. Adams ◽  
J. F. Green

We studied breathing patterns and tidal volume (VT)-inspiratory time (TI) relationships at three steady-state levels of pulmonary arterial PCO2 (PpCO2) in 10 anesthetized dogs. To accomplish this we isolated and then separately pump perfused the pulmonary and systemic circulations, which allowed us to control blood gases in each circuit independently. To ventilate the lungs at a rate and depth determined by central drive, we used an electronically controlled positive-pressure ventilator driven by inspiratory phrenic neural activity. Expiratory time (TE) varied inversely with PpCO2 over the range of PpCO2 from approximately 20 to 80 Torr. VT and TI increased with rising PpCO2 over the range from approximately 20 to 45 Torr but did not change further as PpCO2 was raised above the middle level of approximately 45 Torr. Thus minute ventilation increased as a function of TE and VT as PpCO2 was increased over the lower range and increased solely as a function of TE as PpCO2 was increased over the upper range. The VT-TI relationship shifted leftward on the time axis as PpCO2 was lowered below the middle level but did not shift in the opposite direction as PpCO2 was raised above the middle level. In addition to its effect on breathing pattern, we found that pulmonary hypocapnia depressed inspiratory drive.


1983 ◽  
Vol 55 (3) ◽  
pp. 813-822 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. B. Skatrud ◽  
J. A. Dempsey

The effect of sleep state on ventilatory rhythmicity following graded hypocapnia was determined in two normal subjects and one patient with a chronic tracheostomy. Passive positive-pressure hyperventilation (PHV) was performed for 3 min awake and during nonrapid-eye-movement (NREM) sleep with hyperoxia [fractional inspired O2 concentration (FIO2) = 0.50], normoxia and hypoxia (FIO2 = 0.12). During wakefulness, no immediate posthyperventilation apnea was noted following abrupt cessation of PHV in 27 of 28 trials [mean hyperventilation end-tidal CO2 partial pressure (PETCO2) 29 +/- 2 Torr, range 22-35]. During spontaneous breathing in hyperoxia, PETCO2 rose from 40.4 +/- 0.7 Torr awake to 43.2 +/- 1.4 Torr during NREM sleep. PHV during NREM sleep caused apnea when PETCO2 was reduced to 3-6 Torr below NREM sleep levels and 1-2 Torr below the waking level. In hypoxia, PETCO2 increased from 37.1 +/- 0.1 awake to 39.8 +/- 0.1 Torr during NREM sleep. PHV caused apnea when PETCO2 was reduced to levels 1-2 Torr below NREM sleep levels and 1-2 Torr above awake levels. Apnea duration (5-45 s) was significantly correlated to the magnitude of hypocapnia (range 27-41 Torr). PHV caused no apnea when isocapnia was maintained via increased inspired CO2. Prolonged hypoxia caused periodic breathing, and the abrupt transition from short-term hypoxic-induced hyperventilation to acute hyperoxia caused apnea during NREM sleep when PETCO2 was lowered to or below the subject's apneic threshold as predetermined (passively) by PHV. We concluded that effective ventilatory rhythmogenesis in the absence of stimuli associated with wakefulness is critically dependent on chemoreceptor stimulation secondary to PCO2-[H+].


1980 ◽  
Vol 48 (6) ◽  
pp. 1083-1091 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Casaburi ◽  
R. W. Stremel ◽  
B. J. Whipp ◽  
W. L. Beaver ◽  
K. Wasserman

The effects of hyperoxia on ventilatory and gas exchange dynamics were studied utilizing sinusoidal work rate forcings. Five subjects exercised on 14 occasions on a cycle ergometer for 30 min with a sinusoidally varying work load. Tests were performed at seven frequencies of work load during air or 100% O2 inspiration. From the breath-by-breath responses to these tests, dynamic characteristics were analyzed by extracting the mean level, amplitude of oscillation, and phase lag for each six variables with digital computer techniques. Calculation of the time constant (tau) of the ventilatory responses demonstrated that ventilatory kinetics were slower during hyperoxia than during normoxia (P less than 0.025; avg 1.56 and 1.13 min, respectively). Further, for identical work rate fluctuations, end-tidal CO2 tension fluctuations were increased by hyperpoxia. Ventilation during hyperoxia is slower to respond to variations in the level of metabolically produced CO2, presumably because hyperoxia attenuates carotid body output; the arterial CO2 tension is consequently less tightly regulated.


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