Author Question: Why is the total mechanical work of breathing difficult to assess during spontaneous breathing? ... (Read 100 times)

saliriagwu · **on:** Jul 16, 2018

Why is the total mechanical work of breathing difficult to assess during spontaneous breathing?

a. Most volunteer subjects cannot under-stand the procedure used.
b. Respiratory muscle activity contributes to inflation resistance.
c. The respiratory muscles (diaphragm, etc.) must be paralyzed.
d. The subjects used to make the measure-ments must be unconscious.

Question 2

Which of the following formulas is used to compute the mechanical work of breathing?

a. Change in pressure/flow
b. Change in pressure change in flow
c. Change in pressure change in volume
d. Change in volume/change in pressure

Kdiggy · **Reply #1 on:** Jul 16, 2018

Answer to Question 1

ANS: B
The mechanical work of breathing cannot be measured easily during spontaneous breathing. This is because the respiratory muscles contribute to the resistance offered by the chest wall.

Answer to Question 2

ANS: C
The mechanical work of breathing can be calculated as the product of the pressure across the res-piratory system and the resulting change in volume.