Question

A 65-year-old female presents with a complaint of shortness of breath. The subject performs a cardiopulmonary exercise test, and the following data are obtained

Maximal Exercise Predicted
HR (beats/min) 143 158
O2 (L/min) 1.2 1.78
E (L/min) 65 80
VT (L) 1.2 1.5
SpO2 91 93
What is the subject's ventilatory reserve?

Answer 1

The subject's ventilatory reserve is calculated by subtracting the observed maximal ventilation from the predicted value, which in this case is 15 L/min.

Step-by-step explanation:

The ventilatory reserve is calculated by subtracting the patient's maximal voluntary ventilation (MVV) during exercise from the predicted maximal ventilation. The predicted maximal ventilation (E) value for a 65-year-old female is 80 L/min, and the observed value during the cardiopulmonary exercise test is 65 L/min. To calculate the ventilatory reserve, we use the formula:

Ventilatory Reserve = Predicted E - Observed E

Thus, the subject's ventilatory reserve is:

Ventilatory Reserve = 80 L/min - 65 L/min = 15 L/min.

This indicates how much additional ventilation capacity the patient has beyond what was utilized during the maximal exercise test.