Respiratory Case Histories - Case 17

A 150 lb., 62-year-old man had a chronic productive cough, exertional dyspnea, mild cyanosis, and marked slowing of forced expiration. His pulmonary function and laboratory tests follow:
Frequency 16 breaths/min
Alveolar ventilation 4.2 L/min
Vital capacity (VC) 2.2 L
Functional residual capacity (FRC) 4.0 L
Total lung capacity (TLC) 5.2 L
Maximum inspiratory flow rate 250 L/min
Maximum expiratory flow rate 20 L/min
PaO2 62 mm Hg
PaCO2 39 mm Hg

Pulmonary function tests after bronchodilator therapy:
Frequency 16 breaths/min
Alveolar ventilation 4.35 L/min
VC 2.4 L
FRC 4.0 L
TLC 5.2 L
Maximum inspiratory flow rate 250 L/min
Maximum expiratory flow rate 23 L/min
PaO2 62 mm Hg
PaCO2 38 mm Hg

1. What is the disorder of this 62-year-old man?

2. Is this primarily a restrictive or an obstructive disorder? Why?

3. Why is the bronchodilator therapy ineffective in this man?

4. What causes the hypoxemia?

5. Calculate the residual volume (RV) for this person before and after the bronchodilator therapy.

6. What is the cause of this altered RV?

7. Calculate the tidal volume (TV) for this person before and after the bronchodilator therapy.

8. Is each TV normal or altered?

9. Calculate the minute ventilation (MV) for this person before and after the bronchodilator therapy.

10. Is each MV normal or altered?

Please enter your e-mail address:

If you would like your answers submitted to your instructor, please provide his/her e-mail address (or you must re-enter your e-mail address here for this form to work):

Please enter your full name:

A copy of your answers will also be submitted to your e-mail address so you may print the information.

Table of Contents

feedback form | permissions | international | locate your campus rep | request a review copy

digital solutions | publish with us | customer service | mhhe home

Copyright ©2001 The McGraw-Hill Companies.
Any use is subject to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
McGraw-Hill Higher Education is one of the many fine businesses of the The McGraw-Hill Companies.