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Papers And Originals

Effect of Mechanical Loading on Ventilatory Response to CO2 and CO2 Excretion

Br Med J 1972; 1 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.1.5796.351 (Published 05 February 1972) Cite this as: Br Med J 1972;1:351
  1. T. J. H. Clark,
  2. G. M. Cochrane

    Abstract

    The ventilatory response to CO2 (S) and respiratory exchange ratio have been measured in 10 healthy subjects breathing naturally and through added resistive loads. The changes in these values produced by the added loads were shown to be correlated with the unloaded CO2 responsiveness. The results indicated that poorly responsive individuals had a greater depression of ventilatory response to CO2 and were more liable to retain CO2.

    These observations raise the possibility that the constitutional CO2 responsiveness of an individual influences the alveolar ventilation achieved in the presence of airways obstruction. The propensity to develop respiratory failure may thus be conditioned by the premorbid CO2 responsiveness.