Introduction

This reference presents basic concepts relevant to respiratory function in normal and diseased states. The volume stresses a quantitative approach to physical parameters used as indicators of normal and diseased physiological respiratory function. The contents of this reference allow medical students and physiology researchers to become “clinical detectives” - by presenting information that can be useful for enhancing their understanding of the major abnormalities in terms of ventilation, pulmonary blood perfusion, venous admixture, wasted alveolar ventilation, tissue oxygenation, acid-base balance, respiratory mechanics, control of breathing, etc. This book is intended for first and second year medical students as well as for residents and fellows, especially in disciplines such as anesthesiology and pulmonary medicine. In addition, the unique mechanistic approach of this book also provides a useful reference to teachers of respiratory physiology who are not involved in respiratory research or those who have not been specifically trained in organ-system physiology. This book thus fills this gap by providing a modern physiology faculty some tools for learning the “nuts-and-bolts” of lung physiology and associated respiratory care