摘要 |
A re-breathing method for determining pulmonary capillary blood flow that accounts for changes in the cardiac output or in the carbon dioxide content of the venous blood of a patient. The carbon dioxide elimination and partial pressure of end tidal carbon dioxide of the patient are non-invasively measured prior to re-breathing, during re-breathing, and after re-breathing. The carbon dioxide elimination and the carbon dioxide content of the alveolar blood of the patient at each of the before, during, and after re-breathing phases are then used to calculate the pulmonary capillary blood flow of the patient. A rate of change of carbon dioxide content of the venous blood of the patient may also be calculated and employed in calculating the pulmonary capillary blood flow of the patient.
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