ABSTRACT
EXERCISE Pulmonary ventilation refers to the mass movement of gas in and out of the lungs. It is regulated to provide the gaseous exchange necessary for aerobic energy metabolism. Inhaled volumes and exhaled volumes are usually not equal, since the volume of inspired oxygen is usually greater than the volume of expired carbon dioxide. Inspiratory volumes are therefore usually larger than expiratory volumes. Pulmonary ventilation is commonly assessed by measuring the volume of air that is exhaled per minute and is abbreviated E. It is dependent on the rate (frequency) and depth (tidal volume) of ventilation per breath. Under normal resting conditions, pulmonary ventilation varies between 4 and 12 litres per minute. Naturally, this figure varies with body size and is smaller in women than
in men. At rest, typical values for tidal volume and frequency are 400-600 ml and 10-20 breaths per minute, respectively.
