What would the ventilation-perfusion ratio equal if the pulmonary blood flow is 5.4 L/min and the alveolar tidal volume is 350 mL,and the respiratory rate is 12/min?
A) 0.78
B) 0.85
C) 0.66
D) 0.54

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The ventilation-perfusion ratio (V/Q ratio) is calculated by dividing the amount of air reaching the alveoli per minute (ventilation) by the amount of blood reaching the alveoli per minute (perfusion). Here, the alveolar ventilation is 350 mL/breath * 12 breaths/min = 4200 mL/min or 4.2 L/min. The pulmonary blood flow (perfusion) is given as 5.4 L/min. Therefore, the V/Q ratio = 4.2 L/min / 5.4 L/min = 0.78.

What Would the Ventilation-Perfusion Ratio Equal If the Pulmonary Blood