Notes
Pulmonary Circulation
Sections
Pulmonary blood circulation
Pulmonary blood flow = cardiac output of the right ventricle.
- Right atrium sends deoxygenated blood to the right ventricle, which ejects it through the pulmonary trunk and arteries.
- Within the lungs, the pulmonary arteries form branching patterns that parallel the tracheobronchial tree.
- Blood flow travels through the pulmonary capillary networks that surround the alveoli.
- Carbon dioxide is released from the bloodstream and fresh oxygen enters it.
- Oxygenated blood returns to the heart via the pulmonary veins, then drains through the left atrium to the ventricle.
- Upon contraction, the left ventricle sends the oxygenated blood through the aorta to the systemic tissues.
Bronchial circulation:
- Blood supply to the conducting zone of the respiratory tract; thus, it is the very small portion of total blood flow that does not take part in gas exchange.
Gravitational effects on pulmonary blood flow
- In upright position, pulmonary blood flow is not distributed evenly throughout the lungs.
- Gravitational pull results in a lower blood flow at the apex of the lung than at the base.