Pulmonary Gas Exchange in Exacerbations of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

The chief function of the lung is pulmonary gas exchange, which requires adequate

levels of ventilation and perfusion of the alveoli. The lung must match pulmonary

O2 uptake ( _VO2) and elimination of CO2 ( _VCO2) to the whole-body metabolic O2 consumption and CO2 production, whatever the O2 and CO2 partial pressures in the

arterial blood. In normal conditions, the cardiovascular and the pulmonary systems

interact to reach this adequate matching, both at rest and during stress conditions

such as physical exercise.