Principles of Gas Exchange
Oxygen in the inspired air moves down the conducting airways and into the alveoli. The partial pressure gradient between the alveolus and the pulmonary capillaries is a key determinant in the rate of oxygen diffusion into the blood.
Oxygen leaves the capillary bed almost exclusively (98%) bound to haemoglobin within the red blood cells. A smaller portion (2%) is dissolved in the plasma. As a rough guide, 100ml of blood will carry about 20ml of oxygen.
Introduction to Acute Respiratory Failure
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