II. Definitions
-
Ambient Temperature and Barometric Pressure (ATPS)
- See Atmospheric Pressure at High Altitude
- Gas measurements vary based on environmental conditions (altitude/barometric pressure, Temperature)
- Exhaled gases are assumed to be fully saturated with water vapor, and are described as ATPS
-
Body Temperature, Ambient Barometric Pressure and Fully Saturated With Water Vapor (BTPS)
- All ventilated gases (inspired and expired) are converted to BTPS
- BTPS values normalize for Body Temperature, Ambient barometric pressure and water vapor saturated
- Standard Temperature and Pressure of Dry Gas (STPD)
- Normalized values of blood Gas Volumes
- Standard Temperature: 0 C
- Standard Pressure: 760 mmHg
- Dry Gas (desaturated of water vapor)
- Partial Pressure
- Pressure of each gas within a mixture of gases
- Total pressure of the gas mix is the sum of its contained Partial Pressures
- See Air Partial Pressures below for example
- Partial Pressure of gas in liquid phase is the same as the Partial Pressure of gas in equilibrium with the liquid
- Gas diffuses from higher Partial Pressure (e.g. gas) to lower Partial Pressure (e.g. liquid)
- Amount of gas dissolved in liquid depends on its solubility
- Blood Gases (oxygen and carbon dioxide) have specific transport systems their volumes in blood
- Oxygen, and to a lesser extent Carbon Dioxide, are otherwise poorly soluble in blood
- See Respiratory Physiology
- Gas Volume
- Gas Volume is constant for a given number of molecules of any gas (at the same Temperature and pressure)
- One Mole of any Gas (at STPD) Volume = 22.4 Liters
- Volume of a gas within a mixture of gases
- Vg = Vt * g%
- where Vt = Total volume of a gas mixture
- where g% = fractional concentration of gas
- For example, Oxgen (O2) in 6 liters of air (normal Minute Ventilation) = 0.2095 * 6 = 1.26 liters of oxygen
III. Physiology
- See Respiratory Physiology
- Air Partial Pressures at sea level (STPD, 760 mmHg, 0 C)
- Nitrogen (78%): 593 mmHg
- Oxygen (20.95%): 159 mmHg
- Carbon Dioxide (0.03%): 0.2 mmHg
- Argon and other inerts (0.93%): 7 mmHg
- Tracheal Partial Pressures (BTPS, fully water vapor saturated)
- Nitrogen (74.2%): 563 mmHg
- Oxygen (19.63%): 150 mmHg
- Carbon Dioxide (0.03%): 0.2 mmHg
- Water Vapor (6.18%): 47 mmHg
- Alveolar Gas (BTPS, fully water vapor saturated)
- Nitrogen (74.8%): 568 mmHg
- Oxygen (13.82%): 105 mmHg
- Carbon Dioxide (5.26%): 40 mmHg
- Water Vapor (6.18%): 47 mmHg
- Arterial Blood
- See Arterial Blood Gas (ABG)
- Partial Pressure Oxygen (PaO2): 100 mmHg
- Oxygen Content: 20.8 ml per 100 ml blood (when Hemoglobin 15 g/dl)
- Partial Pressure Carbon Dioxide (PaCO2): 40 mmHg
- Carbon Dioxide Content: 48 ml per 100 ml blood
- Arterial pH: 7.40
- Arterial Bicarbonate: 24 mEq/L
- Mixed Venous Blood
- See Venous Blood Gas (VBG)
- Partial Pressure Oxygen (PvO2): 40 mmHg
- Oxygen Content: 15.8 ml per 100 ml blood (when Hemoglobin 15 g/dl)
- Partial Pressure Carbon Dioxide (PvCO2): 46 mmHg
- Carbon Dioxide Content: 54 ml per 100 ml blood
- Arterial pH: 7.35
- Arterial Bicarbonate: 26 mEq/L
IV. References
- Davies (1986) Acute Respiratory Failure, Cyberlog