Respiratory Therapy Programs

The Vd/Vt indicates how much of the tidal volume is composed of deadspace. This is important to monitor because increases in deadspace reduce gas exchange and increase the patient’s work of breathing. Vd/Vt = PaCO2-PECO2/PaCO2Peco2 [...]

The A-a gradient compares the pressure of oxygen in the alveoli (PAO2) to the pressure of oxygen in the arteries (PaO2). This pressure difference should range between 5 and 10 mm Hg in a healthy [...]

What is the respiratory quotient? The respiratory quotient (RQ) is the ratio of carbon dioxide produced to oxygen consumed. This is based primarily on the patient’s diet. A diet high in lipids has an RQ [...]

The PaO2/FiO2 ratio, also known as the P/F ratio, is a quick calculation often used to determine the severity of ARDS. The P/F ratio is calculated by dividing the arterial oxygen pressure (PaO2) obtained from [...]

The alveolar air equation calculates the partial pressure of oxygen within the alveoli (PAO2). The alveolar air equation is also referred to as the alveolar gas equation. PAO2 = [(Patm – Ph2O)fio2] – [PaCO2/0.8] Why [...]