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Respiratory Effects of Anesthesia

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Anaesthesia, Pain, Intensive Care and Emergency Medicine — A.P.I.C.E.

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Abstract

Anesthesia affects respiration, changing arterial oxygenation in either spontaneous or controlled breathing patients [1–5]. In addition, these respiratory effects are more severe in the elderly [6, 7], the obese [8], and smokers [9]. Anesthesia causes ventilation-perfusion relationship changes, mainly shunt, that correlate closely with the degree of atelectasis [6, 10–11]. Furthermore, anesthesia changes respiratory system ventilation, muscle function, and respiratory mechanics. This chapter presents a brief overview of respiratory effects of anesthesia, detailing the changes in ventilation, functional residual capacity (FRC), respiratory mechanics, and pulmonary gas exchange.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory of Respiration Physiology, Carlos Chagas Filho Biophysics Institute, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Centre for Health Sciences, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

    P. R. M. Rocco & W. A. Zin

Authors
  1. P. R. M. Rocco
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  2. W. A. Zin
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Clinical Sciences Section of Anaesthesia, Intensive Care and Pain Clinic, Trieste University School of Medicine, Trieste, Italy

    Antonino Gullo M.D. (Head) (Head)

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© 2002 Springer-Verlag Italia

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Rocco, P.R.M., Zin, W.A. (2002). Respiratory Effects of Anesthesia. In: Gullo, A. (eds) Anaesthesia, Pain, Intensive Care and Emergency Medicine — A.P.I.C.E.. Springer, Milano. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-88-470-2099-3_4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-88-470-2099-3_4

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Milano

  • Print ISBN: 978-88-470-0176-3

  • Online ISBN: 978-88-470-2099-3

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