ANALYSIS OF THE RESPIRATORY RESPONSE TO CARBON DIOXIDE INHALATION IN VARYING CLINICAL STATES OF HYPERCAPNIA, ANOXIA, AND ACID-BASE DERANGEMENT

Abstract

Individuals with cor pulmonale secondary to chronic pulmonary emphysema tend to have pulmonary ventilation which is less than normal both at rest and during exercise, despite the presence of factors ordinarily making for increased ventilation such as anoxemia and acidosis (1), and despite the fact that these ventilatory levels may be appreciably less than the observed maximum breathing capacity. Moreover, the ventilatory response to increased CO2 in the inspired air may be less than normal in certain patients with pulmonary emphysema (2-5). These observations