THE EFFECTS OF SLOW DEEP BREATHING ON THE BLOOD GAS EXCHANGE IN EMPHYSEMA.

Abstract

An electronic respiration simulator device was used to slow down the rate of breathing.' This de­ vice, an elaborate, transistorized apparatus using .a small pillow type of speaker, produced audible breath sounds that resembled very closely those of a person breathing, both in frequency and wave form. Subjects listening to these sounds tend to match their own breathing pattern to that of the instrument. The subjects were able to follow the timing pattern for breathing by listening to the pillow speaker placed close to the ear. The respi­ ration cycle of the apparatus was divided into four separate phases and the length of time of each could be changed individually. A slow-timing pat­ tern was used for this study, set in seconds as fol­ lows: inspiration 3, pause 1; expiration 2 and pause 1. The respiratory timing cycle of the ap­ paratus was maintained at a constant rate, and the subjects were able to follow the breathing pattern with minimal difficulty. The sound level on the instrument for inspiration was accentuated more than for expiration to stimulate a stronger in­ spiratory effort on the part of the subject. METHODS